TOXIC—Still Number One

Exactly one month after its official debut on Amazon and other digital book retail sites, TOXIC: From Factory to Food Bowl, Pet Food Is a Risky Business retains its position as #1 New Release, in addition to having earned excellent reviews from a variety of sources and a strong five-star rating on the Amazon website.

To celebrate our successful first month, here is an excerpt from the audiobook edition, soon to be released on Audible, Amazon, and Apple.

TOXIC. From Factory to Food Bowl, Pet Food Is a Risky Business

What others are saying

TOXIC has garnered a following in Europe as well as North America and Australia. A British reader had this to say:

This book is a sobering read – fact! For any pet owner who wants a behind the scenes look at what goes into (some) pet foods then this is a must read. Entis has written a clear and detailed account of the shortcomings and investigations into some of the unscrupulous practices that some pet food manufacturers have adopted.

[W]hat becomes clear is that laws need to be tightened and those in positions of authority within these pet food companies need to be held to account in a more meaningful and substantial way. This book offers a balanced and insightful view of manufactured pet food recalls over the last 100 years. As a pet owner I for one shall be following Entis’ own example and moving to a home diet for my dog from now on.
Amazon UK reviewer

TOXIC

From Factory to Food Bowl,
PET FOOD IS A RISKY BUSINESS

“A complete and compelling account of the hidden and not-so-hidden ways the food we give our beloved pets can be contaminated.” – JoNel Aleccia, Health Reporter, Food & Nutrition, The Associated Press.

Available from all major on-line retailers, including:

Give your dog or cat a treat. Order your copy of TOXIC today.

It’s Publication Day!

Calling All Pets
(and Pet Parents, Too)

Five years after the idea for a book on the pet food industry first took hold of me during a walk on Carmel Beach, I am proud to announce the official launch of TOXIC. From Factory to Food Bowl, Pet Food Is a Risky Business.

If you share your life with a companion animal—especially a dog or cat—you owe it to your pet to educate yourself about the practices that take place behind the scenes in the factories and kitchens where raw, canned, and kibbled pet foods are manufactured.

The reality behind the appetizing package labels and enticing website advertising may shock you. It will certainly disillusion you, as it did me.

The stories and investigations described in TOXIC are drawn from interviews with pet owners, public records, published articles, and FDA inspection reports.

FULL DISCLOSURE: My husband and I are very fortunate to share our home with our 7½ year old Australian Cobberdog, Rutlands Shalom. She thrives on a home-cooked diet that I prepare for her myself.

Word On the Street

As part of the run-up to the publication of TOXIC, I supplied Advance Review copies to a number of colleagues in the writing community. Several of these individuals have already posted their reviews, and I am proud to share a few of their comments here. If you wish to read a complete review, please click on the reviewer’s name or handle.

“As the former global pathogen product manager at a major testing manufacturer, I found this book a fantastic companion to Tainted by Phyllis Entis.” – George Nagle (Amazon USA reviewer)

“TOXIC provides an eye-opening look at the pet food industry’s failures.” – Amy M. Reade (Amazon USA reviewer)

“Well, wow! As with Entis’s first book, TAINTED, this new installment is frighteningly eye opening.” – PeaceLoveHope (an Amazon USA Vine Voice reviewer)

“My thanks to the author for this meticulous insight – would that it weren’t necessary to hold those responsible constantly to account, but it is … and this book does that with aplomb.” – MeandtheMutts (Amazon UK reviewer)

A Peek Inside the Book

If you have read this far, please let me entice you further with a short excerpt from Chapter 9: Pentobarbital’s Pervasive Presence. I interviewed Mark Johnson via email for this story.

Mark was a California cattleman and his dogs were his workforce. He maintained a string of Border Collies and Australian Shepherd mixes to help with herding. Mark first purchased Gravy Train canned dog foods in 2015, using the products as supplemental feedings and as rewards for his dogs. In January 2018, when disaster struck, Mark owned thirteen dogs, ranging from ten months to approximately seven years old. One of his six female dogs was pregnant.

Typically, Mark purchased five cases of dog food weekly, patronizing the local Walmart and Big Lots stores for his supplies. In early January 2018, he replenished his supply of canned food with a purchase of two Gravy Train varieties: Chunks in Gravy with Beef Chunks, and Chunks in Gravy with T-Bone Flavor Chunks. On or about January 12^th, all thirteen dogs fell sick within hours after eating the Gravy Train dog food. He took all of the dogs to his local veterinarian. Within two days of having consumed the dog food, all thirteen dogs were showing signs of kidney failure and were euthanized at the veterinarian’s recommendation.

Although the veterinarian performed a necropsy on one of the dogs, neither he nor Mark reported the dog deaths to the FDA. According to Mark, the veterinarian died shortly after the incident, and Mark was unable to retrieve his files. As of November 2018, Mark was still searching for replacement herding dogs that were in need of a good home.

How To Order TOXIC

TOXIC. From Factory to Food Bowl, Pet Food Is a Risky Business is available in digital format from all major ebook retailers, and can be purchased in paperback on Amazon.

Alternatively, you can have your favorite bookstore order a copy of TOXIC for you.

If you prefer to borrow your reading material from a local library, please consider asking your librarian to add TOXIC to the library’s collection.

Settlement reached in Midwestern Pet Foods class action lawsuit

Midwestern Pet Foods and Nunn Milling Co. have agreed to pay US$6,375,000.00 to settle a Class Action brought against the companies by pet owners and breeders whose animals were sickened or died after consuming aflatoxin-contaminated pet foods.

Jeffrey Nunn, the CEO and co-owner of Midwestern Pet Foods, also is a co-owner of Nunn Milling Co.

A separate case, brought by Jeremy and Britany Simmons, was settled in March 2023. The details of that settlement have not been released.

The Backstory

The FDA received the first complaint about a Midwestern product on December 15, 2020.

On December 30, 2020, Midwestern Pet Foods issued a recall of certain SPORTMiX products, citing the presence of aflatoxin above permitted levels.

The following day, the FDA began an in-depth inspection of Midwestern’s Chickasha, Oklahoma production plant.

During its inspection, the FDA found that the company had accepted shipments of aflatoxin-contaminated corn, and had used that corn to manufacture pet foods.

The company expanded its product recall on January 11, 2021, after the states of Missouri and Texas documented extremely high levels of aflatoxin in multiple samples of the company’s dry dog and cat foods.

By March 15, 2021, the FDA had amassed complaints from 181 households and kennels, all reporting adverse effects in pets who had been fed a Midwestern product.

Ultimately, the FDA determined that more than 130 pet deaths and more than 220 pet illnesses could potentially be linked to consumption of a Midwestern dry pet food.

The FDA issued a formal Warning Letter to the company on August 9, 2021.

Class Action

Stephanie Romero, a Las Vegas resident, was among the first victims of Midwestern’s aflatoxin-contaminated pet foods to file a Complaint against the company.

On December 15, 2020, Stephanie purchased SPORTMiX dog food for her two dogs, and opened the first bag that same day.

The following day, Olive, her three-year old lab mix, appeared to be less active than usual. The dog’s health gradually deteriorated until, one week later, she began vomiting.

Olive suffered two seizures on Christmas Day, and Stephanie described her dog as being lethargic, disoriented and confused. She was continuing to vomit, and appeared to be jaundiced. Her urine was bright orange.

Stephanie brought Olive to her veterinarian, who determined that the dog’s organs were shutting down, and recommended euthanasia.

Upon returning home from the veterinarian, Stephanie discovered that her three-year old dachshund, Scotty, had vomited in her absence, and was lying on the floor next to a puddle of dark blood.

Stephanie rushed Scotty to the veterinarian, who determined that the dog was bleeding internally.

Scotty, too, was euthanized.

A few days later, Midwestern announced its first recall. When Stephanie learned of the recall, she checked her bag of SPORTMiX dog food. The lot code on the bag matched one of the recalled lots.

Stephanie alerted her veterinarian to the recall and filed a report with the FDA.

On January 19, 2021, Stephanie joined four other pet owners in filing suit against Midwestern Pet Foods.

Stephanie and her fellow Plaintiffs agreed to consolidate their action with suits filed by other pet owners.

In January 2023, almost two full years after the initial court filing, the parties reached agreement on a settlement.

On February 6, 2023, the Court issued a Preliminary Approval of the settlement agreement. A Final Approval hearing is scheduled for August 24, 2023.

The Bottom Line

Pet owners whose dogs or cats became ill or died after consuming one of the Midwestern Pet Foods products covered in the Settlement Agreement and who wish to be included in the Class Action settlement can find the necessary information HERE.

Want to learn more about aflatoxin and other safety issues involving pet foods?