Information shared with TruthaboutPetFood.com is that the Purina Waggin Train/Canyon Creek Ranch jerky treat settlement has been finalized. Purina will pay – with no admission of wrong doing – $6.5 million dollars.
This settlement was for pet illness and death linked to jerky treats sold by Purina imported from China.
The USDA states (published in 2013): “Export growth by China has been particularly impressive increasing from less than 1 percent of global exports a decade ago to 16 percent in 2012. China is now the leading pet food exporter to the United States supplying nearly half of the U.S. import market of $691 million. Chicken and jerky treats appear to be drivers behind this increase in Chinese exports to the United States.” (Note: the USDA reference to pet food includes pet treats and pet food ingredients.)
The U.S. imported $691 million of pet food in 2012 – nearly half of this would be (estimated) $350 million imported from China. Estimating that a conservative $200 million of the Chinese imports into the U.S. was jerky treats ($200 million in one year), and safely assuming Purina’s Waggin Train/Canyon Creek had the largest share of this – I’d say Purina got off easy settling for only $6.5 million with no admission of wrong doing for years of pet illness and death.
I would doubt – regardless to any legal settlement – that any pet owner who lost a pet or suffered with a pet’s illness linked to Chinese imported jerky treats – the issue will ever be settled in their hearts. There is no amount of money that causes one to forget.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food