Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of Some Bags of SPECIAL KITTY Gourmet Sold at Wal-Mart due to Salmonella

CONTACT: DEBRA FAIR MARS PETCARE US (973) 691-3536

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — FRANKLIN, TENN. – OCTOBER 27, 2008 – MARS PETCARE US TODAY ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF BAGS OF SPECIAL KITTY® GOURMET BLEND DRY CAT FOOD SOLD AT WAL-MART LOCATIONS IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VIRGINIA, VERMONT, AND WEST VIRGINIA. THE PET FOOD IS BEING VOLUNTARILY RECALLED FOLLOWING A POSITIVE TEST RESULT INDICATING A POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA.

THIS PRODUCT SHOULD NOT BE SOLD OR FED TO PETS. PET OWNERS SHOULD DISPOSE OF PRODUCT IN A SAFE MANNER (EXAMPLE, A SECURELY COVERED TRASH RECEPTACLE) AND RETURN THE EMPTY BAG TO THE STORE WHERE PURCHASED FOR A FULL REFUND.

SALMONELLA CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INFECTIONS IN DOGS AND CATS, AND, IF THERE IS CROSS CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY HANDLING OF THE PET FOOD, IN PEOPLE AS WELL, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, THE AGED, AND PEOPLE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.  HEALTHY PEOPLE POTENTIALLY INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA SHOULD MONITOR THEMSELVES FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, ABDOMINAL CRAMPING AND FEVER. ON RARE OCCASIONS, SALMONELLA CAN RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS AILMENTS, INCLUDING ARTERIAL INFECTIONS, ENDOCARDITIS, ARTHRITIS, MUSCLE PAIN, EYE IRRITATION, AND URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS. CONSUMERS EXHIBITING THESE SIGNS AFTER HAVING CONTACT WITH THIS PRODUCT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

PETS WITH SALMONELLA INFECTIONS MAY BE LETHARGIC AND HAVE DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, FEVER, AND VOMITING. SOME PETS WILL HAVE ONLY DECREASED APPETITE, FEVER AND ABDOMINAL PAIN.  ANIMALS CAN BE CARRIERS WITH NO VISIBLE SYMPTOMS AND POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER ANIMALS OR HUMANS. IF YOUR PET HAS CONSUMED THE RECALLED PRODUCT AND HAS THESE SYMPTOMS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMPLAINTS OR REPORTS OF ILLNESS RESULTING FROM CONSUMPTION OR HANDLING OF THE RECALLED PRODUCT.

PET OWNERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECALL SHOULD CALL 1-877-568-4463 OR VISIT WWW.PETCARE.MARS.COM.

RECALLED PET FOOD PRODUCT: SPECIAL KITTY® GOURMET BLEND DRY CAT FOOD BEST IF USED BY DATE: AUG 11 09 BEST IF USED BY DATE LOCATION: BACK OF BAG PRODUCTION LOT CODE: 50 XXXX X  (FOUND ON BACK OF BAG JUST AFTER "BEST IF USED BY" DATE. CONSUMERS SHOULD LOOK FOR "50" AS THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE SECOND LINE.) UPC CODE: UPC CODE NUMBERS CAN BE FOUND DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BAR CODE ON THE PACKAGE. PLEASE FIND RECALLED PET FOOD UPC INFORMATION BELOW.

AFFECTED STORES: WAL-MART LOCATIONS IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, NORTH CAROLINA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VIRGINIA, VERMONT, AND WEST VIRGINIA.

IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF SALMONELLA FROM PETS TO FAMILY MEMBERS AND CARE GIVERS, THE FDA RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE FOLLOW APPROPRIATE PET FOOD HANDLING GUIDELINES WHEN FEEDING THEIR PETS. A LIST OF SAFE PET FOOD HANDLING TIPS CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.FDA.GOV/CONSUMER/UPDATES/PETFOODTIPS080307.HTML

PET OWNERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECALL SHOULD CALL 1-877-568-4463 OR VISIT WWW.PETCARE.MARS.COM.