Hartz Syndrome - Hartz Flea & Tick products can HARM OR KILL your loved one.

User comments on Hartz Mountain products

2009-09-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

Below is a comment that a user left for the last post. I felt it was so good it should be given it's own posting, as the brand recognition of Hartz led me since childhood to think it was an acceptable brand and a "trusted name". Thanks to the user who wrote in.

"Hartz Mountain has not been a "trusted name" for decades. In the late 1980's their flea and tick product, Blockade, was taken off the market because of an incredible number of animal injuries and deaths.

The EPA has required labeling revisions on their products on multiple occasions and in 2005 the EPA, probably the most lax oversight agency in the federal government, issued a Cancellation Order on Hartz's cat and kitten products containing exactly the same ingredients in precisely the same volumes as their dog products contain today. Hartz was forced to remove their cat products from the marketplace. However, the same pesticide neurotoxins in their dog and puppy products are injuring and killing animals and devastating families in unacceptable numbers.

Their reformulated cat and kitten products continue to injure and kill and were named in the EPA Public Advisory issued in May 2009. Hartz has also had senior executives indicted and brought before grand juries on unrelated issues but another example of their corporate culture.

Hartz has had a deplorable safety record and reprehensible corporate reputation for many years. Sumitomo continued to use the Hartz name because it had great brand recognition and unfortunately the vast majority of the American public still has no idea of the damage and devastation this appalling corporation is causing to this day."

What is Hartz Mountain Corporation?

2009-09-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

As I had posted Leonard Stern as the CEO of Hartz Mountain Corporation, I was dutifully corrected by an anonymous poster. Since the history and corporate position of Hartz Pet Products is muddled, lets try and sort some things out for the 100+ people that visit this site daily.

Max & Gustav Stern started the Hartz Mountain brand in 1932 by selling bird food. The business quickly expanded as the Stern's began selling small animals and their associated supplies. Eventually the product was introduced into markets and grocery stores in the United States and U.K.

After 75 years of ownership, the Hartz Mountain Corporation was sold to investment group J.W. Childs. It was decided to keep the Hartz Mountain Corporation name. In 2004 Hartz Mountain Corporation was sold to the Sumitomo Corporation, a giant corporate congolmerate that specializes in heartwarming industries such as aerospace, defense and industrial pesticides.

Here's a bit from the Sumitomo Chemical page:

"Today, the Sumitomo Chemical Group includes over 100 subsidiaries and affiliates operating in six business sectors - basic chemicals, petrochemicals and plastics, fine chemicals, IT-related chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals - and supplies a broad range of products for global markets."

Why would a company that manufactures industrial pesticides care to take on ownership of a company focused on the well-being of pets?

The answer is Summit VetPharm. Taken from the website: http://www.summitvetpharm.com

"Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA) announced the appointment of Mr. Koichi Isohata as Chairman of its newest subsidiary, animal healthcare company, Summit VetPharm, LLC. Mr. Isohata joins the Summit VetPharm management team after spending over 15 years as head of Sumitomo's Household Insecticides and Agrochemical business in Tokyo, and serving as general manager for the Petcare business in the Life Science Division, Chemical and Electronics Business Unit, in charge of the establishment of Summit VetPharm."

It seems another way of profiting from grossly undertested industrial pesticides is to use them to create Flea & Tick drops, spray and baths and pawn such products off to unsuspecting consumers.
Most people would not pick up the bottle if the flea & tick spray came from a company like Sumitomo Chemical.

Hartz Mountain is merely a ~~formerly trusted name~~ corporate branding mechanism sustained by recognition that is being used to disguise industrial strength pesticides as usable pet products.

2009-09-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a great video from KNBC. How can these companies deny that the products are dangerous?

Almost a year

2009-09-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a year since my incident with the toxic poison that is Hartz Flea & Tick spray. Almost a year since my complaints fell on deaf ears. I have sent written letters, veterinarian complaints, bills that remained unpaid and other evidence of their product almost killing the dog. I have received no replies, no compensation and no compassion from all of the heartless animal abusers employed by Hartz Mountain Industries.

William Ecker, the President of Hartz Mountain Corporation is guilty of animal cruelty and neglect on a grand scale. Hartz does not give a damn for your animals or well being, they only want your money. He enjoys the plush life and corporate benefit while the company he leads produces products that BURN THE SKIN OFF OF INNOCENT ANIMALS.

I see Dr. Marta Draper (Dr. Pet Death), Hartz Vice President of Research & Development pops up on some sites defending her toxic blends with the shielding of clueless standards of the EPA.

I have a challenge for you Dr. Marta Draper. IF you even own animals, let's apply Hartz Flea & Tick Medication to them. Let's see how long they last. If you are so confident of your product you shouldn't have any problem risking having your animals uncontrollably seizure and convulse, gasp for air all while the skin melts from their back.

I continue to maintain this site to put let the world know about what a heartless money driven death factory Hartz Mountain Industries is. It is almost fall, so please research natural remedies for flea control as opposed to OTC solutions from Hartz, Sargeant's or any other producer of this poison.

Make no mistake, Hartz Pet Products will KILL your pet. They are fused with industrial pesticides which are merely tested on your helpless animal.

Hartz Mountain Corporation is responsible for animal cruelty!

2009-02-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

This video is graphic but necessary. All of the animal abusers employees of Hartz, Sergeant's and any other company marketing and distributing this POISON, take notice. You are helping the abuse of innocent animals.

How can anyone work for these companies and sleep at night daring to say they care for animals.

Sergeant's Flea & Tick on notice from Oregon's KVAL

2009-02-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

By Laura Rillos KVAL News

Read the original article HERE.

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. - Wayne Buckholz thought he was helping his cat, Spits, when he applied a small tube of flea medicine to the back of his pet's neck last week.

But within 90 minutes, the cat started walking strangely and from there, said Buckholz, things went downhill.

"He couldn't stand up, couldn't walk and started convulsing," he said. "His whole body started tweaking, his jaw was going 100 miles an hour."

After several baths to remove the medicine, trips to the vet for muscle relaxers, Spits recovered. But not before the 2-year-old cat suffered several seizures.

"I mean, he's our kid. If something would have happened to him," said Buckholz. "I'm the one that put it on him, so I would have had to live with that."

It's an extreme reaction to a type of over-the-counter flea medicine that happens frequently during flea season, according to Dr. Ingrid Kessler, a vet at the Emergency Veterinarian Hospital in Springfield.

Veterinarians treat 50 to 75 animals each year for similar reactions, said Kessler. Most of those cases are cats given medicine intended for dogs and small dogs given medicine intended for large animals.

Symptoms can include twitching, seizures, hyper salivation and, in rare cases, even death.

"I didn't realize it was for dogs," said Buckholz, pointing to the small print on another tube of the flea medicine. He didn't have the package the tubes came in. "The one for dogs and the one for cats are both white tubes, so I didn't think anything of it."

KVAL News spoke with veterinarians at two other animal hospitals and one veterinary clinic in Eugene. All said they had treated pets with bad reactions to several brands of over-the-counter flea medicines containing various forms of the insecticide pyrethrin, including pyrethroids and permethrins.

"I think it happens a lot because of the packaging," said Kessler. "I don't think they're meant to be intentionally deceiving, but the print is so small, the average person likely won't see it."

Buckholz said he used flea medicine from Sergeant's Pet Care Products, so KVAL News contacted the company.

Jennifer Windrum, company spokesperson, said Sergeant's labels its products five times. She also said the company created a website, lookatthelabel.com, in 2005 to raise awareness about the important of reading labels.

Some veterinarians said cats can even have bad reactions to flea medicine intended for cats.

"I would not recommend using any permethrin or pyrethrin based products on any cats. Some cats will tolerate them OK and there are a lot of cats that are sensitive. Just to be on the safe side, I wouldn't use any over-the-counter products on them," said Dr. Amelie Hatfield, a veterinarian with the Eugene Animal Hospital. "Even if it's intended for a cat."

According to Hatfield, many cats do not produce an enzyme to metabolize and eliminate pyrethrins.

"There is a certain percentage of dogs and cats that will just have an allergic reaction to some products, just like we humans do with lotion or whatever we might try," said Windrum. "I might have a reaction and you might not."

KVAL News contacted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We asked spokesman Dale Kemery if any amount of pyrethroids is safe for pets. In an e-mail, he wrote "all products should be used according to their label directions."

According to lookatthelabel.com, Sergeant’s flea and tick control products meet EPA requirements to ensure that they are as safe as possible for pets.

In 2005, the EPA cancelled a flea and tick product manufactured by Hartz from store shelves. According to Kemery, the Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens contained a high concentration of phenothrin, a type of pyrethroid, which current products do not contain.

Vets say a safer alternative are types of medicine available at veterinary hospitals and offices. These include Frontline, which uses a synthetic insecticide called arylheterocycles, and Advantage, which uses imidacloprids.

However, those medications can cost 10 times as much as over-the-counter alternatives.

That is a cost Buckholz is willing to pay.

"I'll never use anything else again," he said.

OTC Flea & Tick questioned by The Center for Public Integrity

2008-12-29T23:20:00.000-08:00

A very informative article regarding the horrors of over-the-counter pet flea and tick remover, such as Hartz Mountain Flea & Tick Spray and Sergeant's Flea & Tick remover, has been published on the website of The Center for Public Integrity.

Pets and Pesticides: Let’s Be Careful Out There
Are Over-the-Counter Flea-and-Tick Treatments Really Safe for Dogs and Cats?
By M.B. Pell, Jillian Olsen | December 16, 2008

"Last June Diane Bromenschenkel applied a flea-and-tick product to her English pointer, Wings, so the dog wouldn’t get ticks while hunting pheasant in the tall grasslands of western Idaho. Wings, a healthy five-year-old with a sleek white coat and a chocolate brown mask, enjoyed long walks in the woods, bacon treats, and burying things in the yard. But three months after the pesticide was applied, the animal was dead.

It was just hours following the use of the product that Bromenschenkel knew something was wrong. She noticed her dog walking around in a daze. Wings was unresponsive. On the advice of her veterinarian, Bromenschenkel tried to wash off the treatment —Bio Spot Spot On Flea and Tick Control for Dogs — but the next day Wings was still suffering."

I wish the companies that produce this pet killing poison nothing but the worst in 2009. I pray the executives from these companies at some point feel the anguish of losing their best friend or having a loved one ripped away, poisoned in front of their terrified eyes.

Read the article in it's entirety HERE.

EPA ruling is again needed against Hartz.

2008-11-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

Let's take a short trip back in time. Here is a link to the original article located on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Website.

Why would I post it? Because this action has failed to stop Hartz from testing their poisonous pesticides on unknowing consumers.

Read it HERE

Hartz to Relabel and Cancel Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens

Release date: 06/03/2005

Contact Information:

Contact: Eryn Witcher, 202-436-2215/ witcher.eryn@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C.-- 06/03/05) At EPA's insistence, Hartz Mountain Corp. has agreed to cancel uses of several flea and tick products that may be associated with a range of adverse reactions, including hair loss, salivation, tremors and numerous deaths in cats and kittens. The common pet product brand names which are involved in this action include: Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens; Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens; Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens; and Hartz Advanced Care Once-A-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens.

In the short term, the agreement calls for immediate relabeling of the products. The new labeling will state that the products of concern are not to be used on the most vulnerable animals, including cats and kittens that weigh less than 6 pounds, cats older than 13 years, or kittens less than 5 months old.

Hartz will stop all new production of the cat and kitten products by September 30, 2005, and not sell or distribute any affected product after December 31, 2005. The measures announced today will help ensure pets are protected. Pet owners should pay close attention to new labels and exercise good judgment when choosing pet products.

"EPA is taking this action because there are safety concerns with these products,'' said Susan B. Hazen, principal deputy assistant administrator at EPA. "Pet owners should be alerted to these concerns, and may choose to transition to alternative products. We take seriously our obligation to ensure that pesticide products, when used as labeled, are safe."

The company agreed to a prohibition on any remaining retail sales by March 31, 2006. This orderly transition allows consumers and distributors to move to alternatives flea and tick products and will be strictly monitored. Hartz will also be notifying their distributors and retailers of the changes in order to ensure a workable phaseout.

As with any pesticide product, all label directions and precautions should be carefully followed to ensure the product is used correctly. It is prudent to follow the new restrictions for all products, including existing stocks.

After a public 30-day comment period, EPA intends to issue a cancellation order and an amended registration, which will be effective by October 31, 2005. For further information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm

ABC Affiliate WHAM reports on vets warning to stay away from Hartz products.

2008-11-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Rochester N.Y. ABC affiliate WHAM has recently covered a story featuring the story of Valerie Stonehouse whose application of Hartz flea & tick products led to the death of her cat Reese. What makes this company think they can get away with this?

Again, if you unknowingly poison your animal by using an OTC flea & tick remedy please rinse your animal IMMEDIATELY with gentle dish soap (As it is used to clean animals after oil spills..) and mild water. Take your animal to the vet for proper care as the condition can rapidly deteriorate and lead to the DEATH OF YOUR PET.

The original story can be read HERE.

"Chili, N.Y.) -- Veterinarians warn pet owners to be careful using over-the-counter flea and tick sprays on their animals.

Valerie Stonehouse, of Chili, used Hartz Ultra-Guard Plus flea and tick spray, an over-the-counter on her six-month-old cat Reese.

“On Tuesday morning, we got up, and the cat was completely lethargic,” she said.

Stonehouse called several local veterinarians and described Reese's symptoms.

“They told us to immediately bathe the cat, get it off of her, and then take her to a local animal hospital,” she said.

The vet's office called that afternoon and said she was deteriorating. Three hours later, Stonehouse made the decision to put Reese down.

Her veterinarian believes Reese died from a massive overdose. He said the cat's symptoms were similar to alcohol poisoning.

Dr. Simon Kirk, an emergency veterinarian, said, “Sometimes there's ingredients in the sprays that allow the product to apply to the fur, and then it evaporates, like an acetone or an alcohol, so the cat might actually be having some reaction to that.”

Kirk, who didn’t treat Reese, said he's never seen a cat die from flea spay toxicity, but says pet owners often use too much.

"They use a dose for a cat that's heavier, or put two doses on by mistake," Kirk said.

Stonehouse said the directions weren't clear, so she used enough to soak Reese's fur. She said she used the spray because it was convenient and cheaper than a trip to the vet.

Now, she advises other pet owners, "It's so more worth it to go the vet, so you know its safe, and then you don't have to go through the trauma of losing a part of your family."

Kirk said the symptoms of overdose include drooling a lot, having muscle spasms, twitching ears or rippling skin.

Like the vets that Stonehouse called, he recommends bathing the pet immediately and get them to a vet. In a lot of cases, the animals survive if treated quickly.

In a statement, Hartz Mountain said the ingredients in this product were approved by the EPA and said there’s no alcohol in it.

The statement also warned customers to follow the directions exactly."

Another example of the blatant disregard and callous response from this heartless company Hartz Mountain Corporation who is owned by Sumitomo Corporation of America (based in Japan) whose products regularly harm, maim and kill innocent animals.

Together our voices will be too loud to be ignored.

2008-10-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION:

If you have experienced an incident with toxic pet products such as Hartz or Sargeant's Flea & Tick sprays, please make contact with us at hartzsyndrome @ gmail.com. There is a plethora of information to share. I am looking to strengthen the great efforts by Hartzvictims.org, hartzkills.org and all of the other great sites and people banding together to show these companies that our complaints and concerns will not fall on deaf ears, but the eyes and minds to all who consult the internet for knowledge.

Hartz Mountain Corporation, Sargeant's and others have deceived the public into believing they care about the health and well being of animals. Together, we will truly care about animals by defending them from the toxic product testing these heartless companies are performing by manipulating consumers into using their products.

You may have visited while I was experiencing some domain issues. It seems to be resolved so please feel free to contribute or contact me to share your story. Together we can eliminate Hartz Mountain Corporation's presence in stores and households. Once and for all expose the company for the animal abuses they have knowingly committed against unsuspecting consumers.

Thank you.

Hartz recalls bad rawhide chews due to another salmonella contamination.

2008-10-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

As if Hartz wasn't trying hard enough to convince you their negligence may potentially harm or kill your pet.

Click HERE for the original article.

"Hartz Recalls Chicken Basted Rawhide Chips
Hartz Mountain Corporation has recalled one lot of chicken-basted rawhide chips because of possible salmonella contamination.

The recall is limited to 4,850-two pound bags of rawhide chips with lot code JC23282 and UPC number 3270096463.

Sample testing detected some bacteria in one bag of the Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips.

This is not only dangerous for pets, but people can also become infected by handling the any tainted rawhide chips.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and is especially dangerous to children, older people and anyone with a compromised immune system.

Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic, have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in people are the same as for animals.

Hartz said it has not received any reports of illnesses in pets or humans linked to this product, but is still taking steps to remove the rawhide chips from all retail stores and distribution centers.

Pet owners who have any of the recalled products should immediately throw them away.

If their pets have eaten the recalled products and show any signs of illness consumers should immediately contact their veterinarians.

For more information about the recall, pet owners can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414."

This company is a joke. Do you hear me "Dr." Marta Draper? Do you hear me William "Bill" Ecker? The company you lie day in and day out for is losing customers faster than you can count. Your piss-poor business practices will leave you both unemployed and morally inept. Maybe you will someday understand the suffer you put innocent pets and their owners through.

Graphic Video shows cats frightening reaction to Hartz products.

2008-10-23T17:27:00.001-07:00

Please click on the picture below to view captured video of a cat having a frightening reaction to Hartz products. The reaction the cat experiences is disturbing to watch coming from an owner of two cats who considers them family.

THANKS TO HARTZVICTIMS.ORG FOR POSTING THIS FOOTAGE AND THE TREMENDOUS JOB THEY DO TO INFORM PEOPLE OF THE POTENTIAL OF HARM OR DEATH TO YOUR PET PRESENTED BY USING HARTZ & SERGEANTS FLEA & TICK PRODUCTS.

Meet the Hartz President who doesn't care about your pet.

2008-09-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

According to SmartBrief.com:

"William "Bill" Ecker, New President and CEO of the Hartz Mountain Corporation

SECAUCUS, N.J.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Hartz Mountain Corporation(R), has selected William D. Ecker as its new president and chief executive officer. Mr. Ecker succeeds Robert Devine who is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

Before joining Hartz(R), Mr. Ecker was chairman of Diam International, the largest designer and manufacturer of permanent retail displays in the nation. A seasoned consumer products executive, Mr. Ecker held senior positions at General Foods, Unilever, and BristolMyers Squibb where he was the president of Clairol's US retail operations prior to joining Diam.

Mr. Ecker, is a graduate of Penn State University, and received his MBA in marketing from Northwestern University. He and his family reside in Stamford, CT.

"Hartz(R) is the premier name in pet retailing, and I am very proud to join the company as it seeks to extend its reach into the growing market for innovative pet products," said Mr. Ecker. "I anticipate exciting and rewarding days ahead for our company."

The Hartz Mountain Corporation(R) is the leading manufacturer and marketer of pet care products in the United States and Canada. For 80 years Hartz(R) has provided pet owners with the highest quality products innovative solutions developed with proven science and a love for companion animals.The company offers more than 1500 products for dogs, cats, birds, small animals, reptiles and fish, each dedicated to the health and wellbeing of household pets. The Hartz Mountain Corporation(R) is owned by Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA), together with its parent, Sumitomo Corporation, Japan (SC), an integrated global trading company. For more information please visit www.hartz.com"

The horrible picture belongs to Lacy, whose tragic story is listed here at HartzVictims.org.

Read Lacy's Story Here.

More bad Hartz products to harm animals..

2008-09-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

Now Hartz is trying to sue it's supplier for tainted Vitamins. Isn't there supposed to some form of Quality Assurance Testing? Not with Hartz. The faster it gets to the market, the faster they get the profits Hartz Mountain and Sumitomo Corporation are willing to risk your pet's life over.

The following story originally was published here:
http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/secaucus/index.ssf?/base/news-0/122232405213600.xml&coll=3

"Hartz sues over tainted pet products
Thursday, September 25, 2008
By PAUL KOEPP
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Secaucus pet products company Hartz Mountain Corp. is suing one of its suppliers after it was forced to recall thousands of tainted pet vitamins.

According to the lawsuit filed last Friday in federal court, Georgia-based manufacturer UFAC (USA) Inc. sold several shipments of dog and cat vitamins to Hartz in 2007 that were contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.

Sampling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the bacteria last October, leading Hartz to recall 3,600 bottles of cat vitamins the next month and 739 more in March, the lawsuit says.

The FDA also found salmonella in Hartz's inventory of dog vitamins, but those were quarantined by the company before they reached store shelves. The bacteria can cause serious infections in young children and frail or elderly people.

"As a result of the inability to sell the cat vitamins and dog vitamins, and as (a) result of the negative publicity due to the defective nature of the products and product recalls, Hartz's ability to compete in this product category, its name brand and good will have all been severely damaged," the suit states.

Hartz, which destroyed more than 2,000 bottles of vitamins in January and is stuck with over 60,000 more bottles it can not sell, is seeking $1 million in damages from UFAC.

Representatives of the manufacturer could not be reached for comment.

"There are no reports of any animal ever being sickened from the recalled product," said Hartz spokesman John Mullane.

In 2005, the company stopped selling some of its flea and tick products at the insistence of the Environmental Protection Agency because of their association with adverse reactions in cats, including hair loss, salivation, tremors and even death.

Hartz has been in the pet supply business since 1932. It was spun off from its parent company, commercial real estate giant Hartz Mountain Industries, in 2000, then bought by Japanese trading firm Sumitomo Corp. in 2004. "

Yet another example of Hartz and Sumitomo displaying their negligence and ignorance toward you the pet owning consumer.

"And in our Hartz Human Bond Survey.."

2008-09-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

This is a recording from the hold audio from Hartz.

"And in our Hartz Human Bond Survey we found that 3 in 4 pet owners see their pet as a part of the family."

When you call to speak to a manager, you most likely will never get one. If you happen to be lucky, a janitor will walk by and take the call. Until that point you will listen to a Stepford Wife tell you that everything is going to be ok and to buy more Hartz products. Meanwhile, what you do not hear is the newly hired staff scrambling for someone with a clipboard.

Listen for yourself.

Hartz Mountain does not want to talk to customers.

2008-09-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hartz not only puts out products that could seriously harm your pet, they have a hard time responding to customer complaints.

Check out the Consumerist for a little background detail..