(ChemNutra) Tainted pet food case brings two guilty pleas

[UpInArms]

Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Two Las Vegas business owners pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Kansas City to distributing tainted pet food ingredients that killed or made ill thousands of domestic pets throughout the United States.

Sally Qing Miller, 43, and Stephen Miller, 56, admitted to federal charges of using their company, Chemnutra Inc., to ship melamine-tainted wheat gluten to pet food manufacturers.

The two were charged in the Western District of Missouri because Kansas City was Chemnutra’s port of entry for the tainted materials from China.

Melamine is a chemical compound commonly found in items like glue and is toxic to humans and animals.

The distribution of the tainted ingredients in pet food led to a massive recall in 2007.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimated that 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs died as a result of eating contaminated food.

Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2009/06/15/daily20.html

[Uben]

1. Justice

These two should be fed that tainted pet food while in prison. I lost two cats to what I believe was tainted pet food. I had to sit and watch them die in front of my face. For them to knowing sell the tainted products just to make money shows how much they care for others. So, we should give them the exact thing they gave us.....poison, and watch them die slowly. I have no sympathy for criminals whose behavior shows a blatant disregard for life, whether it be animal or human. Let them die a horrible death!

[schmuls]

2. Amen. And 2 years in prison is ridiculous considering the

suffering this caused.

[shadowknows69]

4. I owuld bet money right now that they won't do a day of time.

It will be a suspended sentence or probation and restitution, but no one is going to get much of that except the class action lawyers.

[shadowknows69]

3. I know these fuckers killed my last dog, I have no proof, but I know it.

Two years (like they'll actually get that) isn't long enough for the heartbreak they caused thousands of families. And to anyone who says "it was just a pet" I'd like to meet you outside.

[1monster]

7. Ditto here. A healthy dog aged ten years over night and died of kidney failure within a month...

This was before the info about pet foods came out and the vet blasted my husband for letting her get so ill that her kidneys failed.........

[glinda]

10. You bet they did most likely. I know many people who lost their pet out of the blue

to kidney failure. I will also add that at the time. Vets did not know what was going on so as to help the animals and owners. We had two months of multiple Vet bills for many emergency room visits and five different diagnoses because no one knew what was going on. Yes, fuckers, is a good word for them.

[northernlights]

5. I'm so sorry for your losses

:hug::hug::hug:

My dog at the time was fortunately fed a brand that is made with all domestic ingredients, so we were safe back then. Unfortunately with the state of the economy, my ongoing unemployment and the rising cost of the food, I've been forced to go to one of the standard brands that probably uses imported ingredients. It's a constant, nagging worry now...

I hope those two get the maximum sentence...multiplied by *each and every* furkid that they killed. 1 or 2 years, 3,500+ times over. :grr:

[shadowknows69]

6. I wouldn't be so sure you didn't just get lucky.

There was a lot of info coming out that some top shelf brands were contaminated. I thinks we were feeding Sally Iams for older dogs at the time, but she was in no way near the end of her days even at 11. She went down hill too quick at the time this happened for it to be coincidence.

[Doremus]

12. Iams advertising would like you to believe they're a top shelf brand

but it's toxic waste with a higher price tag.

There is nothing "top shelf" about by-products.

[doodadem]

8. I've been making my own dog food ever since this came out

It actually works out to about the same price we were paying for 40 pounds of decent quality food. I zap beef heart, kidneys, or liver in the microwave, add veges--usually from my garden--some pasta, and viola! Four dogs, two large, two small, and they love it. Very healthy and energetic. For breakfast, they get eggs from our chickens, and oatmeal.

I cook chicken for the cats. One 3 or 4 pound boiled fryer lasts 7 cats about 3 days. I do mix it with Purina canned food for dinner, and with eggs for breakfast. My vet said he thought Purina was one of the few "safe" foods out there. They've done well with this regimen--no more urinary infections, when they used to get them all the time.

My husband has also been laid off for a year now. Unfortunately, he has found the best prices on these ingredients at Walmart.

Two year sentences for these miscreants is adding insult to injury for everyone who lost pets in this fiasco. My pets lives are worth much more to me than plenty of humans I know. These two people would be some of those.

[Missy Vixen]

11. We used to feed Nutro Natural

to our two Maine Coon boys. Never again.

They're now eating Costco pet food. Yeah, it's not the "top shelf" brand they were eating previously, but the first ingredient is meat, namely chicken. They like it, and we're not worrying so much now.

In the meantime, two years, huh? Wait till some of these pet food manufacturers get through with them in civil court.

[glinda]

9. I have ten rescues all of which ate poisoned food. I have three Petfood Lawsuit case

numbers and have heard absolutely nothing. The cost to us has been roughly about $10,000, which I had saved for my surgery. Dogs have had multiple surgeries for tumors and one suffers with Kidney issues. One cat became allergic to all foods pretty much and another cat is on a special diet as he is heading for Renal issues. One cat is in Renal failure and I give him 2 IV fluids per day.
I had photos of the empty cans and printed lists of Vet receipts, test results, store purchases. I sent a packet about 2 inches thick.
These assholes have done NOTHING for me and my loved ones except make me break my promise "to care for them".
I hate everyone who is responsible for this and am so angry that I myself am foaming at the mouth, snarling.

[UpInArms]

14. I am so very sorry for your losses

and I can only hope that somewhere there will be some form of justice.

:grouphug:

[glinda]

16. Thank you. We caught it early on. All ten are alive but major damage has been done.

[glinda]

13. Two People have Appealed the "settlement amount" and have hung up the lawsuit

for possibly YEARS. Please write the the WH or DOJ and ask that they push to have closure on the Lawsuit earlier rather than later.

[surrealAmerican]

15. Two years sounds like an awfully light sentence for ...

... willfully poisoning thousands of pets for profit.