Asked why pet food safety advocates Susan Thixton and myself are pickin’ on poor ‘ol Wal-Mart during their biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, by protesting the sale of deadly dog treats at their stores nationwide, I didn’t hesitate in answering:

If the FDA can’t protect us, it’s time that retailers take a leading, or at the very least a supporting, role in protecting consumer health. And that goes for their pets too. Not only is it the right thing to do, both morally and ethically, but legally, they are obliged to do so.

When Wal-Mart ignored our desperate pleas, while begging on bended knee and offering pages of pleading, pitiful letters with nary a peep from the retail goliath, we finally decided to bring out the big guns – out of sheer desperation you understand. Had the global giant listened and out the goodness of their heart (or an abundance of caution), decided to do the right thing, we wouldn’t be spending our pre-holiday shopping time busy blacklisting retailers that sell the toxic dog treats.

You probably don’t know this about me, but begging for anything has never been a role I enjoy, in fact, you’d be hard-pressed to ever find me in that decidedly undignified position, but for dogs, cats or for that matter, any animal, I would gladly grovel on my hands and knees over a bed of glass if I thought it would have an effect.

Knowing such drama would probably only succeed in getting me arrested or thrown in the loony-bin, instead of Susan and I issued a press release instead. Today, we announced our Black Friday ultimatum/plea to Mike T. Duke, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. urging him in a letter to protect American consumers and their pets by removing the deadly treats from store shelves.

The following is a copy of our press release along with the letter:

Consumers, Pet Advocates Plan Black Friday for Pets Protest at Wal-Mart Stores Nationwide to Demand the Immediate Removal of Toxic Dog Treats

Contact:
Susan Thixton
Editor, Truth About Pet Food
Phone: (727) 726-5895
susan@truthaboutpetfood.com
Mollie Morrissette
Editor, Poisoned Pets
Phone: (707) 459-6083
molliemorrissette@poisonedpets.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 19, 2012 — Today, pet food safety advocates sent a letter to the chairman and president of Wal-Mart Stores asking the company to voluntarily remove chicken jerky pet treats manufactured in China from the shelves of all Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores.

Since 2007, pet treats that have been manufactured in China have been linked to the deaths of over 360 dogs and one cat and 2200 illnesses.

While FDA has issued several cautionary statements to consumers against feeding their pets these treats, there have been no recalls of these products, and retailers, such as Wal-Mart, continue to carry these treats in their stores.

FDA has taken no action to stop the importation of these products even though all indications point to the problems emanating from China. While we believe the quickest way to resolve this matter is for FDA to issue an Import Alert against these products from entering U.S. commerce, the next best solution is for retailers to stop carrying these products voluntarily until the cause of these illnesses is found.

On Black Friday (November 23, 2012), concerned pet owners will go to Wal-Mart stores in their communities to personally ask store managers to remove these dangerous pet treats from their store shelves.

Pet food safety advocates Susan Thixton of Truth About Pet Food and Mollie Morrissette of Poisoned Pets organized the national campaign to protest the continued sale of pet products that pose an imminent danger of harming pets as long as they remain on the market.

For further information about the Black Friday for Pets campaign, visit the website at www.facebook.com/blackfridayforpets and www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/black-friday-for-pets.html and www.poisonedpets.com/black-friday-for-pets.

Contact Susan Thixton at Susan@TruthAboutPetFood.com (727) 726-5895 or Mollie Morrissette at MollieMorrissette@PoisonedPets.com (707) 459-6083.

About the Truth About Pet Food & Poisoned Pets

Truth About Pet Food, written by pet food safety advocate Susan Thixton, is an investigative journalist exposing the truth behind the pet food industry and educating consumers about pet food safety issues. For additional information about Truth About Pet Food, visit www.truthaboutpetfood.com. Poisoned Pets, written by pet food safety advocate Mollie Morrissette, is a website devoted to educating consumers about the pet food industry. For more information, visit www.poisonedpets.com.

Read the letter addressed to Mike Duke, the CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

UPDATE: I have no association with Susan Thixton of Truth About Pet Food, either personally of professionally, or the Association for Truth in Pet Food.