I am not sure if anyone buys Pet Pantry dry dog food, but please be aware that the article was posted on compuserve.

Sick Canadian Cow May Have Been Used for Dog Food

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Parts of the Canadian cow that recently tested positive for mad cow disease may have been used to make dry dog food that was shipped to the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday.

While there has been no scientific evidence so far that dogs can contract the disease or spread it to humans, the FDA notified Pet Pantry International of Carson City, Nevada, when the agency learned from the Canadian government that Pet Pantry had received food that may have included material from the cow.

The suspect dog food was made by Champion Pet Food of Morinville, Alberta, between February 4 and March 12, 2003.

The Canadian government prevented the cow being processed for human food. "Consumers can be assured that their food does not contain any remnants of the BSE positive cow," an FDA statement said.

As a "prudent measure" to help assure that the United States remains free of the brain-wasting disease known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Pet Pantry is asking customers to hold on to the suspected food so that it will not mistakenly be mixed into cattle or other feeds.

The Pet Pantry products were packed in 50-pound bags, distributed to franchises around the United States and sold by home delivery only, the FDA statement said. There was no retail distribution.

The products included "Maintenance Diet" labeled with a use-by date of Feb. 17, 2004 and "Beef with Barley" with a date of March 5, 2004.

Consumers are asked not to destroy or discard the product themselves as the FDA is working with Pet Pantry to ensure proper disposal.