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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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US, Chinese Firms Charged in Pet Food Scandal

American owners intentionally sold tainted products, prosecutors say

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(Newser) – US authorities today charged an American company and two Chinese businesses with manufacturing and importing tainted ingredients in pet food that killed thousands of cats and dogs last year, the AP reports. Las Vegas-based ChemNutra and its owners face a felony conspiracy charge and 26 misdemeanor counts for selling adulterated and misbranded food. The Chinese businesses face 26 counts each.

Prosecutors allege the companies intentionally mislabeled the products to avoid inspection in China. “In today’s global economy, crimes that occur halfway around the world can seriously impact our lives,” argued US Attorney John Wood. Last March, the FDA recalled over 150 brands of pet food, which killed an estimated 4,000 dogs and cats, Bloomberg reports.

A woman looks at pet food in a store in Beijing. Two Chinese businesses and a U.S. company were indicted Wednesday for their roles in making and importing a pet food ingredient that resulted in animal deaths last year, the AP reports. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)
A woman looks at pet food in a store in Beijing. Two Chinese businesses and a U.S. company were indicted Wednesday for their roles in making and importing a pet food ingredient that resulted in animal...   (Associated Press)
Amy Parish sits with her two dogs, Nastle, left, and Reeses in her backyard in Tucker, Ga. Parish, 40, stopped giving her two aging chow chows canned food since the pet food recall last March. Two Chinese businesses and a U.S. company were indicted Wednesday for their roles in...
Amy Parish sits with her two dogs, Nastle, left, and Reeses in her backyard in Tucker, Ga. Parish, 40, stopped giving her two aging chow chows canned food since the pet food recall last March. Two Chinese...   (Associated Press)
Pebbles, the Yorkshire terrier that became a symbol of the national pet food scare is shown in this, March 21, 2007 file photo, at Collett Veterinary Clinic in Los Angeles. Pebbles died Thursday while being treated for kidney failure that developed after she ate some of the suspect food. (AP...
Pebbles, the Yorkshire terrier that became a symbol of the national pet food scare is shown in this, March 21, 2007 file photo, at Collett Veterinary Clinic in Los Angeles. Pebbles died Thursday while...   (Associated Press)
John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, indicted an American company and two Chinese businesses Wednesday for their roles in making and importing a pet food ingredient that resulted in animal deaths last year, the AP says. (AP Photo/Dick Whipple)
John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, indicted an American company and two Chinese businesses Wednesday for their roles in making and importing a pet food ingredient...   (Associated Press)
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