It has come to our attention that KDKA’s Dr. Mike recently spread a warning about a recall for Natural Balance. For what its worth, we have not yet acquired the actual transcript of the show; however, we have encountered many customers in the past week or so that have fallen victim to recall panic. They have either misinterpreted what was said by Dr. Mike or they heard incorrect information correctly. Either way we need to lay down some facts to set the record straight.

The Facts:

A recall for potential salmonella contamination was issued for one formula of Natural Balance — Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Formula (in both the 5 lb. and 28 lb. sizes) with a “Best by” date of June 17, 2011. Recalled products were ONLY distributed into pet specialty stores in the Western U.S. (the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming).

What This Means:

Burton’s Total Pet customers in Western Pennsylvania are not affected by this recall. The potentially contaminated products were issued from a Natural Balance production facility that ships product to the western half of the United States. None of the product in question was sent to the Eastern States. More specifically, none of the product in question was sent to Pennsylvania.

A Note From Burton:

We hope that Dr. Mike got his facts straight in the radio commentary. Anyone that actually read the voluntary recall notice issued by the FDA would immediately understand that it did not affect his local listenership. Even if it was announced as a “heads up” for consumers, he should know the power the word “recall” has on pet owners. I am of the opinion that if he understood the extent of the recall then nothing should have been said. We also received this FDA notice but specifically chose not to post anything on this blog or our Facebook page because we knew that people would talk, half-stories would be spread and soon loyal Natural Balance customers would be flocking into our stores in full-on panic mode. We’ve seen this happen every time a warning has been issued. No matter the variety. No matter the brand. People panic. We’re not saying they don’t have that right, but their fears are often unnecessary or unfounded. It is best to be an informed consumer and to care about the food you are feeding your pets; however, part of being an informed consumer is understanding the extent of the risk and fashioning your panic accordingly.

I sure don’t blame people for being cautious about any food — for human or animal consumption. It should be noted that we do not openly support Natural Balance; but at the same time, people should know the truth rather than be misled by either an ill-prepared radio personality or rumor-mill half truths. A company shouldn’t be punished for reacting appropriately and immediately to a potential health threat, they should, however, be punished for knowingly producing a poor product.

I would also hope that on his show, Dr. Mike mentioned that dogs are not highly susceptible to salmonella to further reduce potential fear. Neither are people for that matter. It all depends on the strain and the immune condition of those affected. Again, I need to stress that I have not yet procured the transcript from the show. I am writing this now to put people at ease and help stem the concern of worried customers.