Nestle Purina settles jerky lawsuit for $6.5 million recall
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FROM

Dr. Michael W. Fox
July 2014

Julie Scheidegger, reports in DVM360 Magazine, July 17, 2014 that “Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. and its Waggin’ Train brand have agreed to a $6.5 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by pet owners in Illinois in 2012. The company makes jerky pet treats—some manufactured in China—that have been implicated in a nearly decade-long U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into jerky-related illness.

Nestlé Purina is not admitting that the treats made pets sick, however. Bill Salzman, director of corporate communications for the company, says, “There is no indication the treats negatively impacted the health of dogs; this resolution allows everyone involved to move forward.” If the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approves the agreement, it will resolve the disputed claims related to Waggin’ Train jerky products and establish procedures for monetary relief and compensation.

If the deal is approved, settlement class members will be able to claim 100 percent of reasonable economic damages incurred after their pets consumed the implicated jerky treats. Those with a documented injury, a deceased pet, food purchase claims or health screening claims will be compensated upon verification. Without documentation, claims are capped at $300.”

Dr. Michael W. Fox is a well-known veterinarian, former vice president of The Humane Society of the United States, former vice president of Humane Society International and the author of more than 40 adult and children’s books on animal care, animal behavior and bioethics. He is also a graduate veterinarian from the Royal Veterinary College, London, whose research lead to a PhD (Medicine) and a DSc (ethology/animal behavior) from the University of London, England.

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