Winalot...a warning!!!!

zaksmum

I posted about this experience simply to warn other dog owners to double check if using Winalot. My own opinion is that a large intact insect in the food was completely unacceptable and I'm surprised to find that some people seem to think it's fine.

So if you are using - or contemplating using - Winalot for your dogs, please do examine the contents of the tin before allowing your dog to eat it.

Assuming, of course, that you're not one of those people who are quite happy for your dog to consume whole insects.

Claire_Bear

It doesn't have anything to do with Winalot as a company though, this could have happened with any brand of food, it was just a freak accident. If there was broken glass or something in the can then it's possible that it could have contaminated other cans, but it was one insect? Unless they have huge swarms flying around their production plant then I'd put it down to an unlucky but one-off incident. I'm not saying that it's ok, but it's very, very unlikely that other people will find the same thing in their tins of Winalot, they probably sell hundreds of thousands of tins that have no problems at all.

foreign_correspondent

zaksmum wrote: »

They enclosed £15 vouchers but I feel like sending them back. Although they assured me the insect would not have harmed my dogs, I'd really rather not feed them such things - and have to question how many dog owners would! Maybe they should put a warning on Winalot cans - may contain insects??

I think it's totally unacceptable. Just want some advice...should I just accept the £15 vouchers and go away or should i make more of a fuss?

I think the majority vote here is with accept the £15 vouchers, unless of course, you have any reason to believe the insect was of a sort that may pose some hazard to your pet. I can appreciate it was an unpleasant experience for you, but very likely did not pose any risk to your dog.

Winalot is owned by Purina, which is a subsidiary of Nestle, and I expect contamination precautions may well be the same across the company - so you may want to know that they also make:
Arthurs - cat food. UK only
Bakers Complete- dry dog food
Beneful - dog food
Bonio - dog biscuits sold in the UK
Bonnie - dog food. Australia only (with kangaroo meat)
Felix - cat food. Known in Sweden as Pussi and in Finland as Latz
Friskies - cat food, but in Finland also used as a dog food brand. Known as Go-Cat in the UK and as Gati in South America
Go-Cat- dry cat food
Gourmet - cat food. Known as Fancy Feast in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Known as Mon Petit in Japan and Hong Kong
Kit-n-Kaboodle - dry cat food
ONE - both dog and cat food
Purina Pro Plan - both dog and cat food
SnackAttack - dog treats. Known as Beggin' Strips in the US and Canada
Winalot - canned dog food sold in the UK
from here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé_Purina_PetCare

emlou2009

the only reason you were outraged to find it is because we have all been brought up and become accustomed to OTT sterile-ness. as soon as a few decades ago if a insect had been found in food, whether it be for humans or animals, it would have been picked out and thought nothing more of. it wouldnt have done the dog any harm and it wouldnt even have noticed it was in there, the rate they wold their food down

UKTigerlily

fgs, i'd be more worried about what's in the Winalot than an insect they'd naturally eat anyhow in all likelihood. Using a baby to compare it isn't a good comparison! Dogs & Cats eat mice & rats, rabbits, squirrels etc & no doubt various insects & grass, just remove the thing & chuck it away! Accidents happen & what they put in the food is MUCH worse believe me!

Viper_7

zaksmum wrote: »

I posted about this experience simply to warn other dog owners to double check if using Winalot. My own opinion is that a large intact insect in the food was completely unacceptable and I'm surprised to find that some people seem to think it's fine.

So if you are using - or contemplating using - Winalot for your dogs, please do examine the contents of the tin before allowing your dog to eat it.

Assuming, of course, that you're not one of those people who are quite happy for your dog to consume whole insects.

This is now getting to be border line slander. You keep quoting the company and saying they have inadequate screening, looking at "warning" others against this terrible product of theirs, this product which will have passed rigorous checks and audits to ensure it is fit for dogs.
Companies have been known to sue people for slurring their brand on forums just because someone thought they wanted to make a point.

We all agree it can be shocking to find something unexpected. I've come across insect contamination in food I've bought for myself. I don't go running to the papers though, I just discard it (although it would do me no harm at all - probably, knowingly eating a bug is not something I tend to go for!)

zaksmum

Claire_Bear wrote: »

It doesn't have anything to do with Winalot as a company though, this could have happened with any brand of food, it was just a freak accident. If there was broken glass or something in the can then it's possible that it could have contaminated other cans, but it was one insect? Unless they have huge swarms flying around their production plant then I'd put it down to an unlucky but one-off incident. I'm not saying that it's ok, but it's very, very unlikely that other people will find the same thing in their tins of Winalot, they probably sell hundreds of thousands of tins that have no problems at all.

You're probably right that it's unlikely others will find insects in the dog food. However, when I phoned the company to tell them about the insect, they asked what flavour the tin of dog food was. I told them it was beef, from a six pack of mixed flavours.

I had four of the tins remaining, plus a second six pack unopened. They said the other flavours would be ok, but I should carefully check other tins of the beef flavour "just in case".

So anyone who feels insects shouldn't be on the dog's menu might want to check the contents of the beef flavour casserole Winalot.

Ruby_Moon

zaksmum wrote: »

Contaminated by the presence of a large green insect!!! I would've liked them to assure me they were taking steps to improve their hygeine measures. They said they used fly screens and ultra violet fly strips but still have some cases per year of insect contamination (their words). So the insect screening is inadequate.

I don't see why they can't employ the same screening as, say, a baby food processing plant. If such an insect was found intact in a jar of baby food there'd be outrage. It should not have happened with Winalot and I wanted to hear they'd ensure it wouldn't happen again.

They don't need the same hygiene standards as babies. I do think you are being far too dramatic to something that will do your dog no harm.
We sometimes buy human food that might have got a fly in it or whatnot, you can't stop it happening 100% of the time. However, it will not hurt your dog!! It wouldn't even hurt you!!
Go have a coffee and calm down. Your dog would have loved it.

Viper_7

zaksmum wrote: »

You're probably right that it's unlikely others will find insects in the dog food. However, when I phoned the company to tell them about the insect, they asked what flavour the tin of dog food was. I told them it was beef, from a six pack of mixed flavours.

I had four of the tins remaining, plus a second six pack unopened. They said the other flavours would be ok, but I should carefully check other tins of the beef flavour "just in case".

So anyone who feels insects shouldn't be on the dog's menu might want to check the contents of the beef flavour casserole Winalot.

and we have named them again....

~Chameleon~

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I think the majority vote here is with accept the £15 vouchers, unless of course, you have any reason to believe the insect was of a sort that may pose some hazard to your pet. I can appreciate it was an unpleasant experience for you, but very likely did not pose any risk to your dog.

Winalot is owned by Purina, which is a subsidiary of Nestle, and I expect contamination precautions may well be the same across the company - so you may want to know that they also make:
Arthurs - cat food. UK only
Bakers Complete- dry dog food
Beneful - dog food
Bonio - dog biscuits sold in the UK
Bonnie - dog food. Australia only (with kangaroo meat)
Felix - cat food. Known in Sweden as Pussi and in Finland as Latz
Friskies - cat food, but in Finland also used as a dog food brand. Known as Go-Cat in the UK and as Gati in South America
Go-Cat- dry cat food
Gourmet - cat food. Known as Fancy Feast in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Known as Mon Petit in Japan and Hong Kong
Kit-n-Kaboodle - dry cat food
ONE - both dog and cat food
Purina Pro Plan - both dog and cat food
SnackAttack - dog treats. Known as Beggin' Strips in the US and Canada
Winalot - canned dog food sold in the UK
from here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé_Purina_PetCare

So, between Nestle and Waltham Foods, they've just about got the pet food market sewn up! :rotfl:

http://www.waltham.com/brands.htm