Diamond Pet Foods, once known for their high quality pet products, is under consumer scrutiny nationwide. When Diamond Pet Foods released a voluntary recall to their Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul product on April 26, 2012 consumers were led to believe that a small amount of salmonella might have contaminated select batches of dog food. On May 5, 2012, that assumption proved inaccurate.

The following brand names of pet food should be avoided for both cats and dogs:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet (Dog and Cat) Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Kirkland Signature
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild

Regions who have reported outbreaks of salmonella include:

• Alabama
• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Canada

Because of manufacture distribution channels, it is expected that outbreaks for regions not listed are likely to occur. For those who purchase Diamond Pet Food products check the "best used by date" on the product bag. If the date falls between December 9, 2012 and April 7, 2013, the safest course of action is to not feed the product to an animal. The contamination is so extensive that batch number recalls will not stop the outbreak. Product code indicators to watch for include the appearance of the number 2 or 3 in the 9th position followed by an X in the 10th or 11th positions of the production code. These products are assumed contaminated. Regardless to the bar code numbers, if the food falls within the flagged date parameters do not use the product and contact Diamond Pet Foods for a refund.

Initial salmonella symptoms to watch out for include loss of appetite, fever, stomach sensitive to touch, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargic demeanor. It is important to understand that people can contract salmonella through directly handling contaminated pet food or from contact with food particulates. Prolonged exposure to salmonella contamination can result in bloodstream infections, autoimmune diseases, or becoming a chronic living carrier of the disease as was evidenced with "Typhoid Mary," who was afflicted with the salmonella typhi bacterium.

Diamond Pet Foods is a privately owned company headquartered in Meta, Missouri. The pet food company believes that the primary outbreak originated in their South Carolina plant. The rapid spread of the salmonella infection throughout North America has implemented the involvement of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Contact information for Diamond Pet Foods:

Toll-free: 800-442-0402
Toll-free: 1-866-918-8756
Direct Dial: 816-255-1974

Hours of operation:
Monday through Sunday 8AM – 6PM Eastern time

For those who donate food to shelters please forward this information to your donation organization to help prevent further illness to animals and humans.

For those interested, sign the Pet Food Safety Initiative.