The pain from the pet food recall a couple of years ago is still fresh on the minds of pet owners. Many watched their companion animals suffer and even die during this criminal event.

Now with the ChemNutra plea bargain, a resolution, of sorts, appears to be near at hand.

On June 16, 2009, ChemNutra, a Las Vegas ingredient broker, and its married co-owners, Stephen and Sally Miller, each pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges out of 27 federal charges leveled against them for distributing the tainted pet food ingredient, wheat gluten.

Their action in 2007 resulted in the death of thousands of pets and a mass recall of pet food.

They had been charged with 13 misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce, 13 misdemeanor counts of introducing misbranded food into interstate commerce, and one felony charge.

If found guilty, the Millers would have been subject to a federal prison term up to two years each without parole plus a fine up to $200,000 plus restitution. ChemNutra would have been subject to a fine up to $400,000 plus restitution.

However, the federal government, the Millers, and ChemNutra agreed that probation and a much smaller fine would be a more appropriate punishment. A date has not been established for the sentencing.

I feel that a much stiffer punishment is in order.

The Millers and ChemNutra had been indicted for knowingly distributing 800 tons of melamine-laced wheat gluten which had been imported from China from November 6, 2006 through February 21, 2007.

By pleading guilty, the Millers admitted that melamine was added to make the wheat gluten appear of higher value than it actually was. Melamine is not approved as an ingredient in human or pet food. It is generally used in the manufacture of plastics, glue, and fertilizer.

They sold this ingredient to some of the largest canned pet food producers. They touted these tainted goods as a high quality ingredient. This resulted in the recall of more than 150 brands of pet food.

I know some breeders who had to close their businesses because they lost all their dogs because of this bad food.

Several thousand dogs and cats died in this crime. Thus far, the punishment for these criminals has been far less than the significance of the crime.

This is an insult to great pet food companies that produce high quality, nutritious pet food and have never been subject to a pet food recall.

I have written the judge who will be handing down the sentence. Here is the address in case you would like to send a brief note as well:

Judge John T. Maughmer, U.S. Magistrate
U.S. Magistrate Judge Room 7662
US District Court for the Western District of Missouri
Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse Building
400 E. 9th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

I told him how disgusted and angered I was over this episode and this sentencing recomendation.

Scott Hubbard is a long time pet lover. For the last 40 years, dogs have been a major part of his family.

He has dedicated the last 5 years of his life to finding the best products for pet health. You can reach him directly by calling toll-free 877-878-4036 or by emailing him at scott.hubbard3@gmail.com.