Cat deaths linked to Orijen

[Bonkers]

Pretty bloody compassionate of them when we are in the middle of a major disaster - even those of us not affected by fires still have to deal with the death of friends and families and we still don't even know whether they are safe or not in some cases. One of the vets who has been dealing with affected cats has lost her husband and all her own animals to the flames. What the hell are these people thinking. Yet again Orijen seem to think its OK to palm off responsibility to a third party when it comes to Australian cats that are affected by their total lack of due diligence and totally inadequate labelling.
 
I did not receive one of these emails and have been dealing with a major medical crisis with my disabled husband so have only just heard about this so have emailed Orijen to ask what is going on!!!!!
 
I am so disgusted with them I can not begin to describe how this has made me feel. Firstly they kill and disable our cats/then they offer a pathetic amount that goes not where near covering actual costs and have the gall to call it a compassion fund when it should be a compensation fund/and then with no notice they shorten up the date on this fund by three month and send very abrupt/rude emails to people who are only in this situation due to Orijen's commercial decisions! And I note this does not appear on the Champion website as they no doubt don't want their Nth American consumers knowing about their heartless actions.

Jo

  Since the number of affected cats seems to be rising daily, I am sure that the money that they had allocated for the "fund" most likely has already gone over the amount that they had anticipated. This is just my opinion as to why they may have shortened the time frame in which people can apply for compensation. Just one more thing that people all over should be made aware of about this company.

[Frosty]

It would be nice to have a summary outline of events located all in one place so as to make the task easier in composing a written report to friends in Canada and the States that need to be informed about this tragedy.  The threads are very lengthy now and it is hard to get all of the facts right. I think that a one to one spreading the word can go a long ways. During the 2007 recalls, I spoke to many shoppers in the aisles of stores that were unaware of many things.

[GreyGhost]

I spread the word every day in every store I go to.

[TAZ]

YES, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...an ANGEL at Champion Petfoods!


Two kitty parents have received apologetic emails from Champion.....

Thank you for your email and please accept my sincere apologies for this error. The actual date that the applications have to be in by is May 31st, 2009. I did read the attached letter from Mr. Horder and I agree with you it is quite cold and rude and it is not what I would call compassionate either. I am sorry for this as well.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if anything else like this comes up again and I will be happy to clarify things for you.

Take care,
D
Customer Service

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.

I am very sorry to hear that your beloved cat Taya has become worse, I do hope that the treatments will work and that she will soon return to her old self.

I cannot imagine the stress and anxiety that you and everyone else there is feeling because of the bush fires. I am so sorry about your friend who lost her husband and her animals. I have been watching the news and it is just so devastating, I do hope that they soon get everything under control and no one else loses their lives.

Regarding having your application in by the end of February, do not worry, we be excepting applications until the end of May 2009. I am sorry if this has caused you any stress, but please take your time.

Kindest regards,
D
Customer Service

'Seems to me that certain others at Champion could learn a lot from "D"'s example....better yet, put "D" in charge!

Now, how a communication from a (presumed to be) professional claims adjustment agency could be so flawed with rudeness and such a wildly outlandish deadline date just leaves an observer incredulous. Is this a case of "cheap help" being hired? Or, is it more lack of due diligence......or 

So, then, the original application date stands and, while unacceptable, removes the immediate threat and anxiety the most recent blunder caused.

[Perseus]

Okay, so Champion is admitting to making an error on their "compASSion fund" date.  I wouldn't go as far as calling anyone at Champion an angel.  Nothing has changed.  Too little money, too much suffering, too many deaths, lives are wrecked and no one knows how extensive the damages to their kitties are. 

[Bonkers]

  A true Angel would give these pet parents the funds that they need to treat their afflicted cats.

[TAZ]

  A true Angel would give these pet parents the funds that they need to treat their afflicted cats.

Well, if that's intended to mean that "D" isn't an angel.......perhaps we should ask whether/not it is within "D"'s abilities/position to meet those expectations.

It seems that, given her position/responsibilities, she performed admirably.....as I said, there are others at Champion - the power and control people (and, I think the quote above very well applies to them) who could benefit from her example.

In a conflict, when you believe/know there may be friends on the other side, isn't it (at least, just a tad) counterintuitive to "target" them?

An incident has been recounted on the private forum where a kitty parent received a very discreet personal acknowledgement within a very official letter from a "powercrat".....the kitty parent replied, not with a blast, but with a thank-you letter.

People want and need justice and resolution....not war unending.

[Bonkers]

  Oh please. Performed admirably? She/he corrected an error and nothing more. You are correct though when you state that "people want and need justice and resolution". IMO they are not receiving either from Champion.

[Perseus]

Taz, not meaning to disrespect your opinion.  "D" is a paid customer service rep and it's just her job to type nice soothing email responses.  They're in every company everywhere.  That's why I have a hard time with calling her an "angel".

Since you point out that "D" is not a decision maker at Champion, it doesn't matter if she's a "friend" or not since she's just doing her job.

If the President of Champion had written those emails, that would have been a different situation altogether.  But he didn't.

[Perseus]

Gotta bring this to Mike at DefendOurPets and also to PetConnection, Catster...  am going to be busy, busy, busy

kaffe, can you let us know what blogs or forums you're posting the info on and where?  I'd like to get others to then post on them, too, to keep the dialogue going.

[GreyGhost]

Having alot of experience with Champion foods.  I can honestly say I agree with most. There are no angels at Champion Foods. Just because one person has something nice to say because they are being paid to hardly makes them admirable. Champion has dropped the ball on this over and over and its in our best interest to never forget that. Shame on them and may they never hear the end of it.

[kaffe]

Gotta bring this to Mike at DefendOurPets and also to PetConnection, Catster...  am going to be busy, busy, busy

kaffe, can you let us know what blogs or forums you're posting the info on and where?  I'd like to get others to then post on them, too, to keep the dialogue going.

Perseus:  The Yahoo groups that have so far posted my Orijen Update are:

Caring fo CRF..
CATWELL
Companion Animal Naturally
Feline Lymphoma
Feline HyperT

waiting for approval:
Feline Assisted Feeding
WholeCatHealth

It seems that some of the Yahho groups want assurance of permission to cross post especially if we are quoting from posts in other forums... Anyway... to reacapitulate:

My Yahho Groups:

Feline Lymphoma
Feline Cancer Holistic
Feline IBD
Caring for CRF Feline
CATWELL
Feline hyper-T
Feline Pancreatitis
My Pet Carnivore
rawcat
rawfeeding
WoleCatHealth
CompanionAnimalNaturally
Feline Assisted Feeding
Feline RF info
Feline CRF Support
Fur Angels
Pet Loss

[kaffe]

Dr. Andrew Jones Recieves a Nasty Phone cal from Orijen

I received a daily update e-mail from the controversial vet, Dr. Andrew Jones regarding a “Nasty” phone call he received from Orijen.  Dr. Jones periodically gives his subscribers newsletters on what’s new and what’s happening in the pet and veterinary world.  Anyway, this is what he wrote in his newsletter:

**Quote**

The Phone Call

A company representative from
Champion Pet Foods called me to
'correct' a blog posting I had made
about Orijen Food.

I had posted a newsletter in which I
mistakenly talked about cats in North
America becoming paralyzed by Orijen.

The Factual Report is that there
are NO North American cases officially
reported.

BUT someone posted to my blog, as
she had a cat with a similar paralysis as
the cats in Australia. She was feeding Orijen
Cat Food. This was not confirmed by a
Veterinarian, and  there are many causes
of paralysis in cats- I suspect that the
paralysis was due to another cause than
Orijen food- as there really have been
NO reported cases in North America.

----------------------
BAD Publicity
----------------------

BUT I was called because the Blog
Posting had generated some Bad Publicity-
and the Company is not wanting to discuss
what is happening in Australia.

HUH?

It wasn't a phone call to update
me on the ongoing investigation as
to the underlying cause of the paralysis.

It wasn't something proactive informing
me HOW the company is doing all they
can to figure out the underlying problem,
and reinforce HOW 'safe' their food is
in North America.

I feed (or fed) their food to my own
pets.

I advocate and sell their food.

YET the 'courtesy' phone call I get is:

----------------------------------------
Take the blog post down, it's giving
us Bad PR.
----------------------------------------

O.K.

I'll 'correct' the Blog Post.

But you sure haven't generated TRUST
with me about the SAFETY of your food.

I am still not feeding Orijen Cat
Food, or advising that it be fed,
until the underlying cause has been
determined.

*IF* you still feed it, it is still
safe so long as you are NOT in
Australia.

It's your call.


**End quote**



I think the "bad publicity" from bloggs and forums is hurting Orijen a little, ya think?

[The Cats Mother]

Good.

Permission to cross post this to the Australian forum Kaffe pls?

Careful what you say on the blogs - I know I have said this before and make no apology for repeating myself.

Some people are working on something I believe.

You could start by getting this man's permission to cross post HIS blog perhaps?

[kaffe]

Good.

Permission to cross post this to the Australian forum Kaffe pls?

Careful what you say on the blogs - I know I have said this before and make no apology for repeating myself.

Some people are working on something I believe.

You could start by getting this man's permission to cross post HIS blog perhaps?

Permission given, TCM - with all my heart. 

You can e-mail Dr. Jones directly, TCM --- he is very open and kind to pet parents.  He is "controversial" in that he has stepped out of the 'normal' vet modus operandi and is churning out books and videos showing pet parents how to AVOID needing vets in the first place.  Mind you, he sells his own line of supplements, so... but I find him sincere and up front.  This is where you'll find him:

Dr Andrew Jones
Veterinary Secrets Revealed
http://www.theonlinevet.com

He is widely read here in the US.