Dog Community

RUSTY 3 INCH NAIL FOUND IN MERRICK DOG TREATS

Posted : 1/12/2007 8:36:45 PM

A little over a week ago, when I put my hand into a pack of Merrick Lamb Training treats, I felt something sharp at the bottom. To my horror, I found a rusty 3 inch nail at the bottom of the pack. Good thing I didn't pour the content of the bag into his dish since there were only a few pieces left. I have written to the CEO of Merrick in Texas and it has been a week since the e-mail but no word of apology or reply regarding this incident have been sent to me yet. I find it very rude and irresponsible for the company to ignore this issue hoping that it would just go away. Here is a copy of what I have written to Garth Merrick and CC to Pet Lovers Centre since I bought it from them. The CEO of PLC also didn't bother replying to my e-mail. I did get call form them saying that the supplier gave them a bag of the treats to replace for the one with the nail. Not even a word of apology... sigh..

To: Mr. Garth Merrick
c/o Ms. Connie Hawkins
Merrick Pet Care

Cc: Mr. David Ng
CEO,
Pet Lovers Centre
Singapore

Dear Mr. Merrick,

It is with deep regret that I have to write this unpleasant e-mail to inform you that a very disturbing incident concerning the above mentioned product.

I am a proud owner of four dogs and have spent a large amount of money feeding my dogs with some of your company's products, especially your Lamb Training Treats and Lamb Squares. I have been told by many people about the high standards your company has in your products.

A few days ago, when I was giving my 1 yr old Weimeraner some of the Lamb Training Treats, I was horrified to find a RUSTY THREE INCH NAIL sitting near the bottom of the pack. It was a good thing I discovered it before I poured the last few bits of what was left into his bowl. He could have swallowed it and the results of it would have been catastrophic! How could a company like yours who pride yourself with such high quality products sell such an item to your customer?

Attached are two pictures of the nail found in your product. The item has been returned to:

Pet Lovers Centre
Attn: Paul & Justina
Parkway Parade Branch
80 Marine Parade Road
#B1-13
Singapore 449269
Tel: 63466413

If you have any questions, please contact the above-mentioned staff and they can verify my claims. This unpleasant incident has greatly diminish my faith in your company's products and would prevent me from recommending them to many of my friends and members of some of the pet forums I belong to in Singapore. I hope that this unpleasant incident will make your company be more stringent when it comes to quality control.

Your response regarding this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Yours Regretfully,

XXXXXXXXX

Benedict

Posted : 1/12/2007 8:39:51 PM

[sm=eek.gif][sm=eek.gif][sm=eek.gif]

Oh. My. God.

That's unforgivable.

Kate

sooner

Posted : 1/12/2007 9:30:22 PM

Sad, but not too surprising. There have been other reports of foreign objects in Merrick food and treats.

Glad you found it!!

Xeph

Posted : 1/12/2007 9:32:11 PM

This is one of the reasons I haven't fed Merrick to my dogs. Their food quality is great (but $50 for dog food?!), but their quality control is crap from what I've heard. I believe willowchow found some plastic binding in some dog food she bought once, and another person found a metal tab.

Luvntzus

Posted : 1/12/2007 9:36:03 PM

OMG, that's it, I will never feed or recommend any of their products. I remember Lori saying that she found a shipping staple or some other foreign object in the food and now this and no response to add insult to injury. [&:] Thank you for sharing.

Btw, I think this should be moved to the nutrition forum so more people researching food will see it.

Stella K.

Posted : 1/13/2007 5:22:36 AM

I have never fed Merrick after reading many reports similar to this one. This one totally confirms it. I have been tempted to purchase Merrick wet food, but I'll never buy their food.

glenmar

Posted : 1/13/2007 6:00:40 AM

Perhaps ya'll understand now why I ALWAYS mention the QC issues when someone suggest Merricks. Lori found shipping staples AND blue plastic, the chicken wing things had the metal wing bands still in place and heaven knows what other little goofs there have been.

I guess for those who insist on feeding Merricks, they need to do it with eyes wide open and a fork to dig through the product before they feed it.

willowchow

Posted : 1/13/2007 6:08:07 AM

Yes, I did find in one can of Grammy's Pot Pie (a large can, the small cans weren't out when this happened to me) a shipping staple, the kind with two sharp ends. I also found in another can of the same flavor a blue piece of plastic. The company told me that was what the chicken was wrapped in when it gets to them.

They had me do the same thing, explain what happened, they offered to replace the food and in fact they sent me a whole case of all kinds of cans. But, that wasn't my point and I told them that.

They told me to write a letter which I did and they wanted the objects I found so I sent them. And, that the Merrick's would look into it. I never heard a thing back.

I reported what happened here and at the time a lot of people didn't believe me. (as if I have nothing else to do with my life but make up stories about dog food, LOL) But, as you can see, they do have issues because this issue is in addition to mine and also the chicken wing clips being left on.

My biggest problem with them is that the objects in their stuff are very dangerous, nails, shipping staples, etc. A dog is going to get killed one day.

I swore then (especially when I didn't hear back from them) that I would never use anything from them again and I haven't. I've posted about this here and people have made points of telling me they will still use the products and that things happen in all foods. Yes, I believe that is true. And, I found the plastic first, spoke with them and gave them the benefit of the doubt.

But, something isn't right when metal objects are going into the products, not just hair or plastic or some other object that wouldn't be as fatal.

I'm glad your dog is OK.

Jason Ong

Posted : 1/13/2007 8:32:51 AM

I am so glad that my dog is ok but I am however concern about all the residue of the rust he has already consumed. I also have 3 other dogs and they all have eaten from the same bag.

jeano

Posted : 1/13/2007 9:12:22 AM

Rust is just iron. It won't hurt your dogs, thank goodness! Glad you found the nail! I won't ever use Merrick products after reading this thread, that's for sure.

RidgebackGermansShep

Posted : 1/13/2007 11:49:53 AM

whoa, thanks for letting us know! My dogs LOVE merrick canned food. They will no longer be getting it.

willowchow

Posted : 1/13/2007 12:28:37 PM

If you will be looking for a replacement for the canned Merrick I've found Evanger's to be a great one. Willow loves it and she's a very fussy eater.

nwmountaingirl

Posted : 1/13/2007 2:14:09 PM

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for Evanger's. I am thoroughly disappointed in Merrick. I can imagine this happening once, but to let something like this continue is inexcusable!!!

Do you hear that Merrick? That's another customer slamming the door.

loveukaykay

Posted : 1/13/2007 3:44:39 PM

When I first started learning about nutrition I thought I had found gold when I saw the Merrick canned food lol. I asked about it on here and was so dissappointed to hear of the QC issues.... but I listened and I didnt buy it anymore. Im glad now....

sallya

Posted : 1/13/2007 4:40:08 PM

That is HORRIBLE. Good grief!! I wouldn't use that food. No telling what else you cannot see that is in there.