RECALL: Possible Pentobarbital Contamination in Dog Food

Party Animal, Inc., a pet supply store in West Hollywood, California, has recalled 2 lots of its dog food after discovering both had the potential presence of pentobarbital. When ingested, pentobarbital can cause side effects in animals that include drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, nausea and, in extreme cases, death.

On April 13, a retailer in Texas notified Party Animal that one of the retailer’s customers had presented 2 dog food samples to a testing lab and the results showed that the samples tested positive for pentobarbital.

The 2 samples were from:

• A 13-ounce can of Cocolicious Beef & Turkey dog food (Lot number: 0136E15203 04, Best by date: July 2019)
• A 13-ounce can of Cocolicious Chicken & Beef dog food (Lot number: 0134E15 237 13, Best by date: August 2019)

Party Animal has since requested the results from the customer. The company has also contacted the 2 probable retailers that sold the customer the dog food and told them to isolate all remaining cans from the possibly contaminated lots.

Party Animal is requesting that other retailers return all cans from these 2 lots to Party Animal so the food can be forwarded to a testing lab. The company is working will distributors and retailers to take other products manufactured during the 2015 production period off store shelves.

In a statement regarding the recall, Party Animal said:

“The safety of pets is and always will be our first priority. We sincerely regret the reports of the discomfort experienced by the pet who consumed this food. As pet parents ourselves, we take this matter seriously.

When we were notified, we immediately tracked the lot numbers of the food in question and determined that the food had been manufactured and distributed in 2015. We then contacted the two probable retailers that had sold the customer the food and asked them to isolate all remaining cans from these lots. If pet parents have cans with either of those lot numbers in their possession, they should return them to the place of purchase and will of course receive a full refund.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are retrieving the remainder of these two lots nationwide. We are working with our distributors and retailers to determine if any additional beef-flavored products manufactured during this 2015 production period remain on shelves and, if so, to retrieve them from shelves, immediately, as well.”