Simba's Story

Pet's Name:Simba
Breed: Shih Tzu
Location: Not Given
Pet's Story:


In the summer of 2002, our family received a new addition. Our bundle of joy was a beautiful little Shih Tzu, who had been dumped in a friend's driveway. We named him Simba. Like the "Lion King" that he was named for, Simba believed that he was royalty; and we treated him as such. Simba had his own spot on the living room couch and slept each night in our bed. He was a late sleeper, so each morning he "bed hopped" from our room to our son's room and back again. ( I work days and my husband works nights.) He went with us in the car and rode in the boat on fishing trips. He was family. We spoiled him terribly. Unfortunately, Simba did not like dry food so we fed him wet food in pouches-- if only we could have known.

Suddenly, one day Simba stopped eating. We took a trip to the vet and he was diagnosed with Kidney failure. My heart broke.

I took a week of vacation from work and stayed home with him. I held him, carried him around outside in the sunshine, and swung with him in the porch swing. As the week, progressed Simba grew worse. He vomited, became weak, and was so thirsty for cold water that he tried to drink from the toilet, and so on; it was terrible. On that final day, I came to the horrific realization that it was time to have him put to sleep. Thankfully, it was unnecessary for Simba passed away in my arms at 12:40 pm Thursday, March 15, 2007, in a small church parking lot on the side of the highway. I just turned around and took him home. We laid him to rest under the peach tree in our back yard. Our bed felt empty. I slept that night on the couch.

By Friday night, we were beginning to come to some peace in the grieving process. We said things like, "he had a good life", and "he was happy". We cried. This was normal and healthy grief.

However, on Saturday, we learned the horrible truth and the grief turned bitter. Simba's death was no longer natural, but rather preventable and unnecessary. I became angry. I have often wondered how many Americans, besides me, spent time on Saturday, March 17 digging through their trash for empty pet food containers; all the while hoping that it was not true. Things like this do not happen to us. Yet, it was true, it had happened to us, it was no longer deniable, the numbers and dates matched.

Unjust guilt reared it ugly head. Bittersweet memories were replaced with memories of me calling, "Simba, here's your dinner", as I poured poisoned food into his bowl; and thoughts of "if only I hadn't bought that food for him." You see, I had bought eleven pouches of a different brand. The pouches that we normally fed him were not recalled. Words cannot describe how that felt!

Even so, like water on rock, time constantly chips away at the edge of pain. I am dealing with this experience and my grief is healthy and normal again. I am angry, but not with myself. I was not responsible. We gave Simba a good life-it was too short-but it was good. He was happy.

Life goes on, and we bought a little Shih Tzu puppy; not to replace Simba, that is impossible. Rather to fill the hole that he left. We immediately fell in love with Kovu. Our bed was full again!

Then I got a phone call on Sunday evening two weeks ago. A poor little Shih Tzu, the same age as Simba, needed a home (just as Simba had once needed a home). So now, we have Kopa. (That one's for you Simba.) Our bed overflows! Toenails click on the wood floors and vaccination tags jingle. This is like music to my ears.

I sit now on my living room couch with the notebook on my lap and both Kovu and Kopa snuggled against my legs. Kovu is snoring. Life is becoming normal again.

Post Card Blitz

From Itchigo.com

My Pet Counts! Postcard Blitz

We are calling on all pet owners, parents, guardians who have lost a pet due to contaminated pet food to join us in a post card blitz to demonstrate the full scope of this pet food recall disaster.

The FDA continues to publicize only “16 confirmed deaths.” This number has often been repeated by the media. Reliable sources report that the number of pet deaths are and will be much higher - most likely in the thousands.

If you want your pet’s death to count for something good, please join the My Pet Counts! Post Card Blitz.

Who: Anyone who has lost a pet due to contaminated pet food.

What: Post cards may have a picture of your pet, or can be blank.
Purchase cards or design your own. Each set of postcards represents one pet. If you have lost multiple pets, send multiple cards to each address. Only one set of postcards per dead pet, please. Postcards ONLY, this is to ensure the mail is delivered with no security delay.

Where: No need to leave home. You can mail your postcards from your own mailbox.

When: All postcards should be mailed on Saturday, April 28th.
This coincides with the national march organized by KOPS (Keep Our Pets Safe). If all postcards are mailed on the same day, the impact will be all the greater when received at the other end.

Why: By sticking to the “only 16 confirmed deaths” wording this disaster is being grossly minimized. The word must get out!

How: Mail a postcard to each of the addresses provided.

The message should be very short, easy to read, no anger, profanity, or rudeness of any kind. Let them see your grief. Tug at their heartstrings. Use your pet’s name. Use the words “My Pet Counts!”

Post card Mailing List:

Marcia K. Larkins, D.V.M
FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine
Ombudsman
7519 Standish Place HFV-7
Rockville, MD 20855

Senator Richard Durbin
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Your own senator: addresses at http://tinyurl.com/b1lm

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Anderson Cooper
c/o CNN
One CNN Center
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-2762

Bro's Story

Pet's Name: Bro
Breed:Shih Tzu
Location: Johnston, RI
Pet's Story:

I became Bro's pet parent when my ex BF could not paper train her. She was 6 weeks old, and a sweet little darling Shih Tzu. She was pure bred, but he did not get official papers with her. I had her trained in a week and she was my constant companion. She learned to take direction quickly and always minded me. A year later, a baby Coon/Angora kitty joined us. The kitty ran around the house so fast I named her Jet. They became best friends for life. I checked into food, and the best was recommended: Nutro. That is all she ate, both the dry and wet, her whole life. I went to a new vet in the fall of 2006, and he completed blood work on both pets. Jet was fine; Bro's tests were "off". The vet said it was because she was 13 years old, so when she began getting sick, not eating, and drinking 4 times her normal water intake, I thought it was old age. One day she had a seizure right next to me on the couch. After that she was blind, could not find her way around, then she could not walk. She kept having seizures more often. She only weighed 10 lbs. at her best weight; she weighed 7.5 lbs. when she died on January 5, 2006. I thought she died from old age until I saw all her symptoms listed on television in March, 2007 when the first recall of pet food was announced. Then I went on-line and checked the menufood recall list, and there was her food on the list. I will never get over the fact that I poisoned my beloved Bro. She was always full of life and jumping and barking, so happy to see me when I came home. She is buried in her favorite spot in my yard. A friend is carving a wooden memorial for her; he has two Shih Tzu's that are still living. I filed a lawsuit and have spoken with some of the people included in the class action. We all feel the same, because we did not KNOW about the food and kept giving it, not knowing it was poisoned. I still look for Bro when I come home, and I know how other pet parents are devastated with broken hearts over their pets killed by some chemical in their pet food. Some new regulations and safety laws have to come out of this tragedy, so our pets did not die in vain. My cat is still alive and still looking around the house for Bro.

Wilbur's Story

Pet name: Prince wilber carmel
Breed: Truskish Fan
Location: IL
Pets story:

I got Wilber at a few months old. He was thrown outside by someone and came looking for food. He came to my house at midnight the time my mom and sis was coming home from the store. My dad woke me up to get some food for a kitty. I went outside and i saw this Beautiful cat in the world. He had an arrow on his forehead. My mom came home and sister..My mom said maybe we will think about keeping him at the time my older sister though He was a she cause she didnt see anything..(not untill the vet said it was a he) The next day My older sister went looking for him. I was at school with my baby sister. I came home and My dad said My Mom had a baby. I went to go look and there he was..rolled up in a ball. The most cutest thing ive ever seen.

In 2006 I had gotten sick. I was in the hospital every few weeks. When i would come home He would be waitin for me. He would walk up to me and give me kisses. He was my best friend in the world. He would watch me dance,sing,and even act! I would read him books and Sing him to see at night. He had a speical spot on my bed and he'd sleep there everynight to watch over me. When i would make Bacon he'd meow the most wonderfulest meow a happy cat could make. In December I bought him speical kitty cans and pouches. and they were dated 3rd and the 4rd that they were made. On the 4th I gave him a pouch and then he just wasnt acting right at all. He was wetting himself and wasnt eating he was throwing up..I was so scared that i rushed him to the ER vet. They did some blood work and it said he had Serious renal failure..They said it would be best to put him to sleep..I said I cant My dad needs to say goodbye first. My dad cant get out of the house cause he cant walk. I brought him home at almost 3 am in the morning I and my dad said goodnight to him and that we love him. i placed him under the christmas tree. I was sleeping on the couch cause i was worried. at 6:30 i woke up in the morning and He was laying next to me. He was lifeless and he was crying. I Picked him up and went by my dad and told Wilber that he can go see the angels. I even promised him i'd name my first child thats a boy after him. a few mins later He waved goodbye with his paw. he had tears. I was crying so hard that i would have passed out. He was my little angel he protected me from storms that im scared of and he would watch over me..He would Also play with his little brother who is a bunny who was only 6 months old at the time. they would cuddle up together. When i call my house I always think im gonna hear him meowing in the background or when i make turkey or ham that im gonna see his little face asking for some. I get Deja vo when i walk in the house and think hes gonna be laying on the floor. Once the recall was out I called my vet He said That would have been the only way he would have gotten sick that fast was cause he ate the food.Speical Kitty! My Poor Baby died..He didnt need to die he was my angel who was supose to see me turn 16..He died December 5th,2006 and was born December 25th 1997

I will always love you wilber your always in my heart.

Gables' Story

Pet's Name: Gables
Breed: Domestic Shorthair (Part Bengal)
Location: Russelville, TN
Pet's Story:

This is the story of my friend Gables (7 years old). She was my neighbor's cat and had just had kittens (she wasn't even one yet). My neighbors had two young boys and did not take good care of Gables but she had a great disposition. She came over and "played" with the puppy I was raising for the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. One evening, I overheard my neighbors yelling because Gables had bitten one of their kids. Their son had been harrassing her kittens. They talked about leaving her in the woods and I went right over and adopted her then and there.

She thrived with me, sweet-"talking" the plumber into giving me a kitty discount and warming my heart with her sweet playful nature. I called her my "love sponge" because she was so affectionate. I started feeding her wet food as a treat and eventually, her favorite food, "Special Kitty" was what took her out of my life.

She was lethargic, started drinking out of the toilets (not MY cat!) and I took her to the vet when she did not come when I rattled her favorite toy (laser cat toy...she was obsessed!). When I took her in, I was told her creatinine level was 30 (ref range 0.8-2.4) and the BUN was above what the machine could read (all ***). She was losing hair, did not know I was there and I thought this was it, she was not going to make it. She held on and with fluids over the course of the two weeks, she appeared to regain her focus, she knew I was there and finally in the last couple of days would purr when I petted her. Over Easter weekend, the vet felt that since I would be home with her over the weekend, I could take her home and monitor her. I went out to the car to get her crate while they gave her some vitamins and a bath. After waiting a bit, the vet came in and told me she passed away. Her heart had been weakened by the kidney failure and failed while they were bathing her. I thought I was bringing home my feline friend and instead brought home heaviness in my heart and a profound sense of loss. I know we did the best we could for her and miss her every day. I know many other pet owners have gone through this tragedy which makes it all the more painful.

Max's Story

Pet's Name: Max
Breed: Doberman
Location:
Pet's Story:

We got Max as a 9 month old Large Puppy! He had already chewed up a rattan couch and swallowed a remote! We were Max's 3rd owner, since no one knew how to handle this large Dobie with so much destructive power! He became our Velcro Teddy Bear! When he came to our house, he went through a few screen doors before we realized that he was scared of thunderstorms!! Max weighed in at 90 pounds and thought he could fit in your lap, he settled for putting his head, upside down in your lap and had his ears rubbed.

Max was 11 years old and still very rowdy, until one day we noticed that he was not moving so quickly and couldn't stand up with his rear legs. One day fine, the next no appetite and no motor control of his rear? We weren't sure what was up, we brought in his bed and laid him in our office, to keep a closer eye on him. Within a day, he couldn't pick his body up at all, and was not able to hold up his head though we helped him and he drank alot. Within 2 and a half days, he was gone! We weren't sure what happened, then on April 1st, we saw the recall, Alpo beef cuts! He had loved that food, I fed him extra helpings, he was my special buddy. We had stopped the food, when my husband noticed that all the dogs were getting thin...why couldn't we have known sooner? I am at a loss for how to feel. My husband dug a large hole, we buried our Teddy Bear, and planted some lovely plants nearby to remember him by. I hope one day to see him again. He was very special.

Abby's Story

Pet's Name: Abby
Breed: Papillion
Location: Ohio
Pet's Story:

This was Abby. She was my best dog friend and companion until February 23, 2007. She was a pure bred Papillon, 23 months old. A more loving dog then I ever had. She was urinating more then usual for a week or 2 and vomiting occasinally, but kept her normal happy and energetic self until Feb 13th when it became apparent something was very wrong. That week northern Ohio was buried in 3 ft of snow and I could not get her to the vet until Friday. By that time her kidneys where shut down with creatin at 18 (off the chart). There was no recall at that time so no one new what was happening to her. She stayed on IV from then until she had to be put down one week later. My vets and all their staff were upset and even another hospital that did her ultrasound sent condolances. They did a necropsy without knowing what to look for. Then 3 weeks later the story broke and yes I had been feeding her Nutro Ultra from the start. I am heartbroken and still haven't gotten over my loss. I doubt that I ever will. She was my all and now she is gone. God bless all the pets and owners going through this tragedy. Joyce