A sedative commonly used to euthanize pets and farm animals was found in dog food produced by an Illinois company prompting a recall, according to the company and a report from the Food and Drug Administration.
Evanger’s Food for Dogs & Cats, headquartered in Wheeling, said it voluntarily recalled “specific lots of its Hunk of Beef product” after some of the food tested positive for pentobarbital. The company said it launched an investigation after dogs eating the product reportedly became sick on New Year’s Eve. The drug can cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, or nausea, or in extreme cases, possibly death, the company said Friday in a statement.
Five dogs have become ill and one died after consuming the product with lot number 1816E06HB13, Evanger's said.
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According to Evanger’s, cans of 12 oz. Hunk of Beef being voluntarily recalled were sold in stores and online in Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and were manufactured the week of June 6 – June 13, 2016.
Evanger’s says it is also voluntarily recalling Hunk of Beef products that were manufactured the same week as those identified as contaminated, with lot numbers that start with 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB, and 1816E13HB, and have an expiration date of June 2020.
“We feel that we have been let down by our supplier, and in reference to the possible presence of pentobarbital, we have let down our customers,” the company said. “Despite having a relationship for 40 years with the supplier of this specific beef, who also services many other pet food companies, we have terminated our relationship with them and will no longer purchase their beef for use in our Hunk of Beef product.”
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Evanger’s did not identify the beef supplier in its press release, but it did say all of its suppliers of meat products are USDA approved.
The supplier’s meat was used in no other Evanger’s products, according to the release.
“Because we source from suppliers of meat products that are USDA approved, and no other products have had any reported problems, we are not extending the recall to other supplier lots,” the company said.
This is the first recall for Evanger’s in its 82 years of manufacturing and only one household has reported an illness, the company said.
Customers with questions should call 1-847-537-0102 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central Time between Monday and Friday.
