Gravy Train is made by Big Heart Pet Foods and owned by Smucker's. WJLA news in Washington D.C. has found traces of a euthanasia drug in dog food. The station spoke with a family who say their five dogs had almost instantaneous reactions to eating a can of Evanger’s pet food they later learned was contaminated with pentobarbital, a lethal drug, most commonly used to euthanize dogs, cats and some horses. One of the dogs ended up dying.

WJLA decided to launch their own investigation. They partnered with Ellipse Analytics, a lab that specializes in testing for contaminants in food. They said they tested 62 samples of wet dog food from more than two dozen brands for traces of the fatal drug. One particular brand continued to come back positive, Gravy Train dog food. Testing 15 cans of Gravy Train, 9 cans came back positive for the euthanasia drug pentobarbital.

Big Heart Pet Foods is also the maker of Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles’n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Gravy Train, Nature’s Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Milo’s Kitchen, Alley Cat, Jerky Treats, Meaty Bone, Pounce and Snausages.

Read the complete article from WJLA here.

Excerpt from WJLA.com -

The FDA, just a short distance from the WJLA studios, also declined repeated requests for an on-camera interview. Instead of speaking to us, and answering our questions, they suggested we contact the Pet Food Institute, which is the trade organization that represents 98 percent of the pet food industry. We asked them to reconsider that response to which they replied that it “will investigate the matter and take appropriate enforcement action.”

If you want to contact the FDA, Smucker’s or Big Heart Brands regarding this issue:

• FDA: 888-463-6332
• Smucker’s: 888-550-9555
• Big Heart Brands: 415-247-3000