LOS ANGELES — Petco said Monday it has removed all Chinese-made dog and cat treats from its website and stores because of concerns they have sickened thousands of pets and killed 1,000 dogs in the U.S. since 2007.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says tests have not connected the Chinese jerky and rawhide treats to the illnesses, but the San Diego-based company and rival PetSmart vowed in May to ban the snacks. Petco is the first national pet retailer to pull the treats from its 1,300 stores. Phoenix-based PetSmart said Monday it plans to have them off shelves at its roughly 1,300 stores by March.
The FDA targeted the treats after receiving more than 4,800 complaints of pet illnesses, including the deaths, after pets ate chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats from China. Tests have not confirmed any connection, but the agency is still investigating. An FDA spokeswoman on Monday pointed to a news release from May about its investigation and declined to comment.
Petco Vice President John Sturm said all its treats are now made in the U.S. or places such as the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and South America.
