Unfortunately, recalls are not uncommon in the pet food industry. Another recall has occurred and this time it was Freshpet, a fresh dog food manufacturer. This recall is an example of how even healthy pet foods can be subject to a recall.
On June 13, 2021 Freshpet, a New Jersey based fresh pet food company, issued a voluntary recall on their Select Small Dog Bite Size Beef & Egg Recipe Dog Food. The specific product that was recalled were the 1lb bags with a sell by date of 10/30/2021. According to Freshpet, “the diets were designated this single lot for destruction, but it was inadvertently shipped to retailers in limited geographic markets between June 7 to June 10, 2021.” Fortunately, no other products were impacted.
The reason for the Freshpet dog food recall is a common one and that is Salmonella contamination. Salmonella has the potential to make dogs sick but is actually much more dangerous to humans. Humans can easily get sick from salmonella by handling their dog's food and its packaging. Individuals who ingest salmonella experience a range of gastrointestinal effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, fatigue and fever.
Luckily, the contaminated food was confined to only a few southern states. As per the FDA, “If pet parents have products matching the following description in their possession, they should stop feeding it to their dogs and dispose of it immediately and contact Freshpet.”
For concerned pet owners, the contact for Freshpet is:
1-866-789-3737
This recent recall proves that any type of product can be recalled, even natural products. Sometimes it’s at no fault of the company. Where it is important however, is how the company handles a recall. A good company has a plan in place in the event a recall occurs. It is best if they recall their products as fast as possible as well as having data on where all of the tainted inventory is. Companies also need to be transparent about the issues they are having with their specific product in order to win back customer trust. The best thing to do is to be aware of product recalls. Recalls can either be found on the FDA website or you can also sign up for the Dog Food Advisor recall alert on their website.
As of June 17, 2022, there has been another Freshpet Inc. recall involving their Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe. This recall is voluntary and due to Salmonella contamination. For further information check visit our June 17th Freshpet recall annoucement.
Dog food advisor. “Fresh pet dog food recall”. (2021). https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/freshpet-june-2021/
FDA. “Freshpet Voluntarily Recalls One Lot of Freshpet® Select Small Dog Bite Size Beef & Egg Recipe Dog Food Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination” (2021). https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/freshpet-voluntarily-recalls-one-lot-freshpetr-select-small-dog-bite-size-beef-egg-recipe-dog-food
MonchBar. “04/2021 Natural treat recall”. (2021). https://www.monchbar.com/blog/06-2021-natural-treat-recall
