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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

1047.0. "Hartz Blockade is OFF the market!" by TOPDOC::TRACHMAN () Tue Jan 19 1988 20:35

    Just wondered if anyone saw the TV show last week or so
    (I think it was 20/20) saying that Hartz Blockade was
    finally being taken off the market?  Needless to say,
    I was thrilled!  It may have been on the news - no
    matter - the important thing is that it finally
    happened!
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1047.2Have you heard??TOPDOC::TRACHMANWed Jan 20 1988 19:075
    Well, as of the date of the show, the decision had just
    been made to take it off the shelves because the tag
    wasn't working.  I don't have any more details - I
    was hoping someone had heard the same news and maybe
    expand on it.  ??
1047.3Pet Health News ArticleFIDDLE::GERRYGo ahead, make me PURRR...Thu Jan 21 1988 16:1835
    Hi...
    
    I hope that your information is more up to date than this, but I
    am posting this from the Jan/Feb 1988 edition of Pet Health News:
    
    After reviewing current safety data for Hartz Blockade flea and
    tick spray, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ordering
    further "extensive" animal safety studies on the aerosol product,
    which has been incriminated in pet pesticide poisionings.  According
    to a recent report in DVM Mewsmagazine, a spokesperson for the EPA's
    Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances said the existing studies
    on Hartz Blockade did not resolve all the EPA's concerns about the
    product.  The federal agency is "asking for more studies--some of
    them quite extensive--which we feel are necessary."  Blockade is
    believed to be the first animal flea product to contain both DEET
    insecticide and Fenvalerale, one of the more toxic synthetic pyrethins.
     Reports from Hartz claim the cases of toxic reactions from the
    use of Blockade have been "blown out of proportion", and that nearly
    5.5 million cans of the spray have been sold to date.  In the wake
    of public concern, however, Hartz has agreed to the EPA's request
    of placing additional warning labels on all cans of Blockade, including
    those currently on store shelves.
    
    
    
    
    ---all standard disclaimers hold....this was reprinted without
    permission.
    
    
    I certainly hope that it has been removed, anyone else got anything
    more updated??
    
    cin
    
1047.4Good NewsLABC::ALLENEquestrian LadyFri Jan 22 1988 17:105
    I looked at my market yesterday and I'm happy to say Hartz Blockade
    was not there.  It had been 2 weeks earlier.
    
    la
    
1047.5More Info on BLOCKADEFIDDLE::GERRYGo ahead, make me PURRR...Tue Feb 23 1988 16:0639
    I am still not sure if Hartz Blockade has been taken off the market.
    I have a feeling that the places not selling it are doing it on
    their own.  I have seen Blockade at at least one grocery store within
    the last month.  Here is an article from the March Cats Magazine
    just received yesterday, in the Cats Confidential section.
    
    Note:  This is reprinted without permission.
    
    Suit by pet owners.  As reported in dvm, the Newsmagazine of Veterinary
    Medicine (January Issue), more than fifty pet owners from throughout
    the country have joined together to file a class action suit against
    Hartz Mountain Corporation.  The suit follows reports of numerous
    deaths and injuries to animals sprayed with Blockade flea and tick
    spray, a Hartz Mountain product.  In addition to forcing a recall
    of the product, California attorney Mike Goldstein, who is representing
    the pet owners, said the pet owner's lawsuit also seeks recovery
    of damages.  This figure is expected to be in the "millions", the
    attourney has indicated.  Hartz Mountain has said a product recall
    would cost the company about $30 million.  Although according to
    dvm, Goldstein believes that in addition to hundreds of cats and
    dogs who have become sick or died after being sprayed with Blockade,
    there may be incidents of humans sustaining injury, too.  Included
    in reported incidents, dvm reports, is a small child who reportedly
    went into convulsions after playing with a pet sprayed with the
    product.
    
    
    
    *******************************************************************
    
    
    So, if I interprete this correctly, Hartz Mountain still hasn't
    actually recalled Blockade.  That is partly what Goldstein is trying
    to force with the class action suit.
    
    Does anyone know for sure what's going on with the product????
    
    cin
    
1047.6Caution about conclusion of .-1REGENT::GETTYSBob Gettys N1BRM 223-6897Tue Feb 23 1988 23:5114
                One thing to realize is that unlike a newspaper, a
        magazine (with very rare exceptions) has about a 3 month (yes I
        got the number right) lead time from when the articles are
        finalized untill the magazine reaches your door. There can be a
        small section in the magazine that has only 1 to 1 1/2 month
        lead times, so don't be fooled by a seemingly timely piece.
                
                What I've been saying in a round about way is that the
        article may have been written before Hartz did the recall
        (assuming that they did, of course). I would definitely not base
        an opinion that they had not recalled Blockade on an article
        that is probably three months old (two at probable best).
                
                /s/     Bob
1047.7It's back!!!!!!!!!REGENT::GETTYSBob Gettys N1BRM 235-8285Wed Mar 08 1989 22:2720
                I sure hate to reopen this, BUT.......
                
                I just encountered an ad for Hartz Blocade in the April
        issue of Better Homes and Garden on page 175.
                
                Quoting a portion of the ad;
                
                
                "Used as directed, you can be assured of both your pets
        comfort and total protection OR YOUR MONEY BACK." (emphasis is
        theirs in the ad)
                
                They do give a phone number to call for additional
        product information of 1-800-777-0129.
                
                The copyright date on the ad is 1989. No mention is made
        of the controversy detailed in this and other notes in this
        conference.
                
                /s/     Bob
1047.8YOSMTE::CORDESBRO_JOThu Mar 09 1989 19:014
    I feel that your Money Back is little consolation if your pet dies
    from having this product used on him.
    
    Jo
1047.9CRUISE::NDCFri Mar 10 1989 10:473
    re: .8 - I was having the same thought.  GAWD!  These people
    think that money solves everything!
    
1047.10Cavaet emptor!!!!LESCOM::KALLISTo thine own self be candid.Wed Jul 26 1989 13:365
    It's definitely back: I've heard radio ads on it.
    
    The "or your money back" is, I suppose, to .limit their liabilities.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
1047.11Maybe I'd use it if the Hartz people would test themselves with it first!VAX4::BELFORTIFive o'clock shadow, on my legs????Wed Jul 26 1989 13:508
    I have seen several ads on TV for Blockade.  With "real" people
    endorsing it.
    
    They can fix this product all the want: after watching the 20/20
    on it, and watching that home movie of the black cat dying in it's
    owners arms, as he was telling it it had been the best cat anyone
    could ever ask for, and that he loved her.... I will NEVER buy Hartz
    products again.  It hurts too much to think about what could happen.
1047.12I wouldn't use itWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOWed Jul 26 1989 16:429
    According to a letter to the editor in one of the cat magazines,
    they haven't changed the formulation at all, just added a warning
    sticker "not to exceed X seconds of spraying per X pound of animal."
    So this way, if someone's animal dies from the stuff, they are only
    liable for the "money back" and not a lawsuit cause they had a warning
    label explaining the dangers.
                                                                       
    Jo
    
1047.13NRADM::CONGERWhat's ONE more cat????Wed Jul 26 1989 16:5925
    
    	reprinted w/out permission from Pet Health News;
    
    
    	The Hartz Mountain Corporation has reintroduced its
    	controversial flea product, Hartz Blockade, after 
    	removing it from store shelves last year due to reports
    	that the product caused potentially fatal toxicity in pets.
    	The company says it has not reformulated Blockade but has
    	retested the product successfully according to EPA guidelines.
    	Hatrz has also issued a warning printed on tags that hang from
    	the cans stating that a pet should only be sprayed two seconds
     	per 1 pound of body weight. Last year, California attorney 
    	Micheal Goldstien filed a class-action suit against Hartz in
    	federal court for more than 100 pet owners whose pets had
    	allegedly been affected by Blockade. The judge subsequently
    	denied this suit and said pet owners must file charges indiv-
    	idually in their home states. "It's another example of how a
    	multi-million dollar corporation beats up on little people who
    	don't have resources to defend themselves" says Goldstien."Thank
    	God Hartz issued the new instructions. I'm just afraid the tags
    	will fall of the cans. I told Hartz and the EPA that they should
    	print the instructions inbig bold letters on the cans themselves,
    	but that's not likely".