# $50M class action lawsuit filed against Royal Canin



## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/03/2...od-lawsuit.html

Just a little news in Canada yesterday... I was shocked it was for $50M, but then I read this:

"The company recalled some of its products last summer and offered to pay a portion of Grixti's $40,000 veterinarian bill, Rochon said, but his client is not satisfied."

If people are spending so much on vet bills, I guess it can add up quickly!

I hope Grixti's not suffering as much as one would presume from that statement. These things always make me wonder about ethics surrounding death, dying and suffering... where to draw the line and to what degree it's actually just selfish keeping a loved one alive while it suffers.

Anyway, my girls have been fed Royal Canin since they were started on food... I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for updates if this goes anywhere!


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

Now I am upset. I've been feeding Bogie Royal Canin. Does anyone have any more specific information about which Royal Canin products were involved? What's safe to feed our babies? I have only used drykibble, but now I wonder if that is ok.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I tried finding more info without much luck and then I just checked their website and saw this: 
http://www.royalcanin.ca/recall_statement_en.php 

The link was following big, bold red letters saying: "No Royal Canin Products are affected by a RECALL." 

I guess people are getting the lawsuit mixed up with the Menu food problems.

I wouldn't get too freaked out over it... the lawsuit's based on RC's recall of certain wet foods in early 2006 from what I gather, though they're claiming RC food is still unsafe... perhaps to draw attention and put pressure on Royal Canin to offer up a more favourable settlement? Who knows... It seems RC has put measures in place to prevent the same problem from happening again. And according to this RC statement, the only food affected by that recall and Vitamin D problem was provided to vet clinics, recalled and destroyed. "No over-the-counter pet food was affected."

I think Bogie should be just fine... I won't be changing my food over this--unless there's a lot more to this lawsuit.


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## angela923 (Nov 24, 2005)

Pudding has been eating Royal Canin since I got him! But only the kibbles.. hope this doesn't affect him.


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

> I tried finding more info without much luck and then I just checked their website and saw this:
> http://www.royalcanin.ca/recall_statement_en.php
> 
> The link was following big, bold red letters saying: "No Royal Canin Products are affected by a RECALL."
> ...


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

ims is also affected and a few others.. this actually happened in the us first. Canada olnly just found out and has pulled all the food of the shelves. it is causing liver failor. Chester was on Royal canin for two years.. He has been off it for two more years and is fine.. I think it the resent batch, but not sure


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

> ims is also affected and a few others.. this actually happened in the us first. Canada olnly just found out and has pulled all the food of the shelves. it is causing liver failor. Chester was on Royal canin for two years.. He has been off it for two more years and is fine.. I think it the resent batch, but not sure[/B]


Actually, Menu Foods is a Canadian company... we've known about it here since the US did. Royal Canin is a French company but the lawsuit is based in Canada against Royal Canin Canada if I understand correctly. As far as I know, the two companies are completely unrelated, except that perhaps they shared the same premix supplier for a while or something... wouldn't surprise me anyway. Royal Canin is not owned by Menu Foods nor vice-versa.

It isn't causing liver failure actually... but kidney (renal) failure due to massive amounts of vitamin D in the food that wasn't supposed to be there (too much Vitamin D causes the body to absorb and hold onto too much calcium and is hard on the kidneys). Not that that's any better.









To reiterate, this Royal Canin lawsuit is nothing to do with the current Menu Foods recall (Iams, etc.) and it is not about a recent batch. According to Royal Canin it is only their wet food that was distributed to vet clinics that was affected by the Vitamin D problem. They recalled the affected items way back in early 2006 and destroyed them and have since switched premix suppliers and have checks in place so it doesn't happen again. Whether or not you trust their statement is another thing... however, I do at this point.

I just thought the lawsuit might be of interest to some people or others might have more info than I do, which I would be interested in hearing. Sorry to cause any confusion or unnecessary concern.


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

thanks Aarianne for putting it straight. I heard about the lawsuit today on the news they mentioned any ones who's pets are affected can join.


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