Cat deaths linked to Orijen

[Bonkers]

  According to an article written by Susan Thixton from TruthaboutPetFood.com, Orijen is expecting the test results of their food back on Wednesday November 26, 2008. They will then post the test results on their website. Also in this article she explains the danger of irradiating food items. http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/168/1/Update-on-Orijen-Pet-Food/Page1.html

[Perseus]

Thanks, coontuffy!  They sure are trying to be upfront about the problems, so here's hoping they continue in that direction.

[robfdavis1971]

By looking at other forums and reading links about irridation....I'm changing my mind....sounds like it can cause problems after all.

[Perseus]

I found some interesting information in the US Customs Export database for Champion Pet Foods in Alberta, Canada.  The port of loading is Gooch Island, BC, but the port of discharge is Seattle, Wa.  That’s why it’s in the US Customs Export database.

The consignee is Renasence Marketing PTY in Australia.  They are the official distributor of Champion/Orijen in Australia.

What’s interesting is the quantity and cargo weight on the ocean bill of lading.  The ocean shipment consisted of 21.44 lb. packages.  Yet none of the Orijen pet food is sold in 21.44 lb. bags of pet food.  This would lead me to believe the pet food is being repackaged by the distributor.

Most food products are not shipped in their final consumer packaging for several reasons.  During transit and the way the large ocean containers are packed, the packaging can become smashed or damaged, thus the need to repackage upon distribution; plus the need to repackage into smaller units to be sold to the consumers.

So there’s the possibility the pet food was shipped in to Australia in burlap bags which is how most food stuffs are shipped.  Burlap bags are not air tight and during the irradiation process could have the pet food directly irradiated through the burlap.

The Orijens pet food is considered “meat” products, and that’s why it’s irradiated upon entry into the ports in Australia. Yet most meat products are shipped in cardboard containers with metal tops.  Cardboard is a lot more expensive than burlap for shipping containers.

Just “food” for thought.

[TAZ]

I found some interesting information in the US Customs Export database for Champion Pet Foods in Alberta, Canada. 

Hi Perseus!

Could you post the link (URL) to that particular entry on the database?

TIA!!!

[Perseus]

Hi Taz!

It's a subscription based database so you need logins (my job is in supply chain management).  But I found this with a quick google search:

http://www.importgenius.com/importers/renasence-marketing-pty-limited.html

[TAZ]

Perseus- amazing job of pulling this up!!!! KUDOS to you!

Now, a few things...
1. I think you may have inadvertently inserted a decimal point in the number of items shipped (the QTY column)...How I interpret that info is: "Quantity 2124 pieces", i.e. packages or individual items.

Next, note that the weight of the shipment (20695) is in kilos, not pounds.

Then, doing the math division of 20695/2124, that gives an average item weight of 9.74 kilos (kg).

However, Orijen is available in 3 sizes, 400g (this size comes in boxes of 30, for a total weight of 12kg per box/"item", 2.5kg and 7kg.

Because we don't know the composition of the shipment, i.e how many items of each size item it contained, we really can't say whether/not this was a bulk unpackaged shipment - or, a shipment of Canadian pre-packaged goods.

HOWEVER - this bill of lading is an important piece of the puzzle...

This document is dated 2008-06-11. I don't know if this means June or November month.

One of the cat victims parents tells me that he first purchased Orijen in January 2008.

Could you search for any other such documents? Knowing how much was shipped and when and when the shipping started, etc....all that might be useful at some point as we try to compose the entire scope of these events.

As you stated, the food was shipped from BC to Seattle, Washington. Why? Why not straight to its destination, nearSydney? I suppose it might simply have been re-loaded in Seattle...but, I'm wondering if it might have been irradiated there....

Perseus - one more thing...actually, I think it might be better if I PM you (never know who's watching!)

[Perseus]

Hi Taz, see my comments in all CAP's below!

Perseus- amazing job of pulling this up!!!! KUDOS to you!

Now, a few things...
1. I think you may have inadvertently inserted a decimal point in the number of items shipped (the QTY column)...How I interpret that info is: "Quantity 2124 pieces", i.e. packages or individual items.--PC MEANS PACKAGES; WHAT I POSTED WAS OFF A GOOGLE SEARCH, NUMBERS NOT INSERTED BY ME.

Next, note that the weight of the shipment (20695) is in kilos, not pounds.--YES, OCEAN SHIPMENTS ARE ALWAYS IN KG'S.

Then, doing the math division of 20695/2124, that gives an average item weight of 9.74 kilos (kg).--MATH: 9.74 KGS= 21.42 LBS (2.2 KGS=1 LB)

However, Orijen is available in 3 sizes, 400g (this size comes in boxes of 30, for a total weight of 12kg per box/"item", 2.5kg and 7kg.

Because we don't know the composition of the shipment, i.e how many items of each size item it contained, we really can't say whether/not this was a bulk unpackaged shipment - or, a shipment of Canadian pre-packaged goods.--OCEAN SHIPMENTS ALWAYS CONTAIN IDENTICAL SIZE PACKAGES; IF IT DOESN'T, IT NEEDS TO BE DECLARED ON THE BILL OF LADING.

HOWEVER - this bill of lading is an important piece of the puzzle...

This document is dated 2008-06-11. I don't know if this means June or November month.--IT'S JUNE; THE MONTH IS ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE ON MOST OTHER COUNTRIES

One of the cat victims parents tells me that he first purchased Orijen in January 2008.

Could you search for any other such documents? Knowing how much was shipped and when and when the shipping started, etc....all that might be useful at some point as we try to compose the entire scope of these events.--ALL BILLS OF LADING THAT I FOUND ARE ALL IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE DATES.  THESE BULK SHIPMENTS ARE LOADED INTO METAL OCEAN CONTAINERS OF THE SAME SIZE.  SO THE PIECES AND WEIGHT DON'T CHANGE.

As you stated, the food was shipped from BC to Seattle, Washington. Why? Why not straight to its destination, nearSydney? I suppose it might simply have been re-loaded in Seattle...but, I'm wondering if it might have been irradiated there....--THE PORT OF SEATTLE IS THE CLOSEST PORT FOR EXPORT, THAT'S WHY IT WAS USED.  THE PORT OF SEATTLE DOESN'T DO IRRADIATION; IT'S ALWAYS DONE UPON ENTRY INTO AUSTRALIA.  DURING TRANSIT (WHICH TAKES ABOUT A MONTH TO REACH AUSTRALIA) LITTLE PESTS AND CRITTERS CAN ENTER THE FOOD FROM THE VESSEL, SO IRRADIATION ALWAYS TAKES PLACE ONCE IT REACHES THE PORT OF DESTINATION.

Perseus - one more thing...actually, I think it might be better if I PM you (never know who's watching!)

--FEEL FREE TO DO SO!

[robfdavis1971]

Most food products are not shipped in their final consumer packaging for several reasons.  During transit and the way the large ocean containers are packed, the packaging can become smashed or damaged, thus the need to repackage upon distribution; plus the need to repackage into smaller units to be sold to the consumers.

So there’s the possibility the pet food was shipped in to Australia in burlap bags which is how most food stuffs are shipped.  Burlap bags are not air tight and during the irradiation process could have the pet food directly irradiated through the burlap.

So is this just with simple dry foods like beans and rice or is this also with dog food, cat food? How can any manufacturer guarantee their product doesn't get contaminated if they don't package their own product before shipping and then place the best before date or manufacturing imprint on the package?

[coontuffy]

perseus............A HUGE heartfelt thank you for all you are doing!!!

This is very distressing to me, as this is the only food I was feeding to my outdoor throwaway cats............now up to 9

As the weather gets colder here in NY, the Orijen doesn't freeze in the foam bowls like a lot of the other kibble did.  I am sick over this.

Taz.......thank you to you as well

[TAZ]

...How can any manufacturer guarantee their product doesn't get contaminated if they don't package their own product before shipping and then place the best before date or manufacturing imprint on the package?

There may be some risk in that process ("someone else" doing the final packaging), but it's a matter of risk assessment, risk management (including monitoring, sampling etc.) and contractural obligations between the parties involved. The "necessarily "made in-house" concept is history for many of the products we have today.

[Perseus]

Most food products are not shipped in their final consumer packaging for several reasons.  During transit and the way the large ocean containers are packed, the packaging can become smashed or damaged, thus the need to repackage upon distribution; plus the need to repackage into smaller units to be sold to the consumers.

So there’s the possibility the pet food was shipped in to Australia in burlap bags which is how most food stuffs are shipped.  Burlap bags are not air tight and during the irradiation process could have the pet food directly irradiated through the burlap.

So is this just with simple dry foods like beans and rice or is this also with dog food, cat food? How can any manufacturer guarantee their product doesn't get contaminated if they don't package their own product before shipping and then place the best before date or manufacturing imprint on the package?

RobF, I believe the irradiation process has to be somewhat directly on the food itself, so it wouldn't be shipped in it's final packaging.  That's why I was thinking burlap bags, since so many products are shipped in them anyways.  I would think the co-packer/distributor then puts the pet food into the final packaging; the packaging is imprinted with the processing codes, bar codes and best by dates.  This process may be unique to ocean shipping only to Australia.

[Perseus]

perseus............A HUGE heartfelt thank you for all you are doing!!!
This is very distressing to me, as this is the only food I was feeding to my outdoor throwaway cats............now up to 9
As the weather gets colder here in NY, the Orijen doesn't freeze in the foam bowls like a lot of the other kibble did.  I am sick over this.

CT, you're very welcome, but I'm just putting out "food for thought" and even that may be contaminated!  But, I wonder why the Orijen doesn't freeze like the other kibbles?  Do you have any idea?

[TAZ]

Hey Perseus - it's only just now that I noticed how you replied to my post (yours, #22).

OK - so each bill of lading only differed by date...could you post the dates for each (which will then also give the total # of shipments. (picky? well, think back to my PM...that might show the distributor to have been doing much more distributing)

[Perseus]

I found this on another forum, but I'm trying to confirm where it was first posted and trying to get a link directly to the article itself.  It was posted in response to the Australian Broadcast Corporation's article on Nov. 24 "Fears pet food behind  cat deaths".  I'll post back as soon as I can, but I'm leaving for the holiday soon:

Dr. Russell notes:

The symptoms described are similar to those first reported following the Chinese melamine gluten poisonings via an enormous variety of pet food products produced by the Canadian pet food processing company Menu Foods, Inc., in 2007. Cats are most effected by this sort of kidney toxin since their kidneys are both smaller than those in most dogs and more sensitive. Hind limb paralysis is common in cats suffering from serious kidney disease.

Orijen is sold in the US for both cats and dogs. It represents a new, supposedly scientifically valid formula and should be a good choice in premium pet foods. However, it may be prudent to wait for the outcome of this latest trouble report before purchasing the product since at this point we do not know what the problem may be or even IF Orijen food had anything to do with it. Correlations are not causation, but they are a wake-up call in the modern global environment of food poisonings.
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(c)2008 Dr. R. J. Russell & the CTCA  November 26, 2008