I just wanted to bring this to everyone's attention in case you have been buying and feeding these to your dogs.

They are chicken strips(jerky) that I bought at Costco and have unknowingly been feeding these for a while now, and have just discovered that they are from China!
There are two addresses on the package, and the one that I saw was from the US. so I never questioned or bothered to look elsewhere on the package for where it was made. But on the bottom, it states it is made in China.


Just a little backround.
For a while now, I have been struggling with both my dogs and their intermittent lack of appetite.
It has always been a mystery to me. It seemed like they were just being picky, but then there have been times when they ate normally too, so it was baffling to me.
When I would run out of the treats, they would get their appetite back, and when I would buy more of them and feed them, they would lose their appetite.



So, today it was brought to my attention by another forum member that these treats are indeed made in China.
But also this forum member too had issues with his dog getting very ill from these chicken strips.

Here are the links to previous issues with chicken strips that were recalled back in 2007 from Walmart:
American Veterinary Medical Association issued a warning about them: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct07/x070917a.asp

and again in 2008:
http://www.avma.org/press/releases/081222_chicken_jerky_products.asp

So in these articles, it talks about various reactions. Both mine show signs of anorexia but have not yet become seriously ill, yet.

Please take the time to read through both links for your information. If by chance you have been feeding these from Costco, I would highly suggest that you stop feeding them, for the health of your dog(s)

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM me and I will be happy to answer any questions you have.

I used to carry "Happy Hips" chicken jerky, which was labeled organic and free range. If a customer hadn't noticed it was labeled "Made in China," I probably would have never gotten as label conscious as I am. Thanks for the link, I'm sending it to a lot of people!

A special thank you to forum member Keith Kaplan, he was the one who gave me these links and also who told me about these chicken strips being from China.

I would never have put the problems I have been having with their inappetence and these treats until now.

The most wonderful thing about this forum is that with the wide range of individuals who are members and the collective information at our fingertips, we can all be more informed about as many things as we bring forth here.
Also very special thanks to Connie for her never ending amount of info as well as her constant presence and her wonderful wisdom.

Thanks to everybody involved in informing us on these jerky treats. My bag is going into the dumpster tomorrow. I will also look a little more closely at "sale items" at a certain large-scale pet supply chain.

Chip, you sound like a concientious store owner. The industry could use a few more like you.

psst... return the item. Most of these store chains will take open bags back.

I hope the removal of these treats clears up problems, Joyce. You have to be so vigilant with product labels! The packaging will say "made for and distibuted by" and use an address in the US. To me, that's code for overseas manufacture. The Vitality brand (Happy Hips) I found particularly sneaky about point of origin. Sad, as Ripley would do AnYThiNg for one of their duck jerky strips.

 Quote: Melissa Thom

psst... return the item. Most of these store chains will take open bags back.

Really? It's on it's way back. Thanks!!

(These were Duck Jerky. The dogs LOVED them. Looks like I'll have to get back to duck hunting again this fall.

Oh I know Meredith, my dogs love these darn things!
I ran out of them last week and I noticed an increase in their appetite and then when I bought more, it went back to a loss in appetite. I am almost convinced that these chicken strips are at the root of the cause.

I have been really scouring for info on where companies source their food ingredients from.
I just found out that Wellness Core brand by WellPet sources their
Vit C and Taurine from China as well.But I had to contact the company myself and ask point blank what do you source from China to get an answer. I do believe that since the melamine scare, companies are finding ways of trying to be sneaky about how they come about their ingredient list.
You have to be more diligent than ever. You just can not blindly trust companies anymore.

 Quote: Meredith Hamilton

... The Vitality brand (Happy Hips) I found particularly sneaky about point of origin. Sad, as Ripley would do AnYThiNg for one of their duck jerky strips.

Oh no.

This is a brand that I buy several items from. If this is true, not only will I stop, but I will put pressure on the small local health-food chain that carries many of their items. (It won't need much pressure; they will be aghast.)

Thank you for this warning. (I just emailed Vitality and I'll share the reply.)

I went down that road a year ago, Connie. Told Dogswell, the maker of Vitality Duck Breast strips that they'd lost a customer. I'll be curious to compare responses.

Edited by Meredith Hamilton (06/07/2010 09:58 PM)
Edit reason: manufacturer name