8 more people have become ill after handling pet food tainted with Salmonella schwarzengrund. Mars Pet Food has sickened 79 since 2006, according to the CDC.
Because of the outbreaks, Mars has now permanently closed the plant where the tainted food was produced.
Even though the product has been pulled from store shelves, officials worry that it is still in people’s homes. The first cases of salmonella were reported in 2006, the last was this past September.
The CDC reminds people to:
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap immediately after handling dry pet foods, pet treats, and pet supplements and after handling pets or animal feces.
- Keep infants away from pet feeding areas
- Don’t let kids younger than 5 to touch or eat dry pet food, treats, or supplements.
“This situation, unfortunately, reminds us of a few things. First, our and our pet’s food supplies are all too often subject to contamination that can sicken and even kill. This is plainly unacceptable and the folks who poison us and our pets by their negligence have to held accountable,” says Atty. JR Whaley.
JR has handled multiple foodborne illnesses cases, and is quickly growing a national reputation as a victim and consumer advocate.
” To protect ourselves, consumers have to remain vigilant, even in doing something as innocent as feeding the family pet, by washing their hands and taking precautions to ensure contamination does not spread,” Whaley added.
