Complaint Review: Hartz Mountain Corporation

Hartz Mountain Corporation risked the life of my cat, Bootsie, by selling a product that is toxic!

Last evening I got home and applied Hartz Advanced Car Once-A-Month Flea & Tick Drops to my cat. Soon after, within 1 hour or so, she began twitching and blinking quickly. She couldn't sit still and couldn't hardly walk either. In fact, she wouldn't jump down from the couch, a 1 1/2 foot jump.

This toxic, so called, vet approved, product turned my agile, friendly, fun loving, very active 1 year old cat into an inactive, scared, shaky, skiddish cat.

Of course, I called our vet, which referred me to an emergency animal clinic, open 24 hours a day. In speaking with the vet there, she informed me that this "vet approved" product is actually toxic to animals and that, in fact, they have at least 10 cases reported a week of same and worse type reactions to these drops. In fact, there was one night they had 10 cats in at once and 6 of them died.

Needless to say, I rushed my Bootsie to the clinic. They indicated to me that they needed to get her treatment right away before it was too late. They also informed me that if I didn't bring her in, her chances of survival were very small.

"Chances of survival" from flea drops that has been on the market for as long as I can remember, and I am sure, has been causing these types of reactions for years, and yet it is still on the market. Why?

Initially, the vet's assistant came and got Bootsie as soon as we arrived and asked permission to give her injections. Of course, I said absolutely. I was then approached again by her with a quote indicating the treatment for this could cost from $270.00 to $650.00.

They wanted to keep her over night and keep her in a drip IV to ensure that the effects of this would be reversed and to observe her.

Now, my husband and I both work. We have two kids, a mortgage and you know how the story goes. Needless to say in these times we are scraping to make it.

Therefore, due to the irresponsibility of the makers of this product, I had to choose an option for my pet, that I would not have chosen, but for the costs of treatment, had not choice. I had to take a chance with my pets life!

Bootsie received two injections of medication to reverse the reactions she was having. We were warned to watch her closely and sent home with oral medication. However, they indicated that if she began to twitch again, to give her the oral medication and if she worsened we would have to bring her back in.

We are not yet 24 hours since the application and only time will tell if she survives.

As you might expect, I am furious to think that it is common knowledge to this company that this product is known for these types of reactions in great numbers in pets and yet it is still on the market, promoted as vet approved and commercialized in such a way to make consumers think that it is safe for our pets. It isn't until you have had such an experience with your innocent animal that you come to the realization that these products are toxic. If you are lucky, your pet is still alive.

As I said before, I had to make a choice as to the care of my pet, which I shouldn't have had to make. In addition, I had to put out $150.00 for the limited treatment they gave her with the hopes that it would work. These may not be the only costs. We will not know until we see how she does.

I am interested in doing whatever it takes to make the knowledge of the risks of these toxic products public, to get all of them off the market, and to some how require Hartz Mountain Corporation apologize for lives risked and lost of dear animals in the past, today and in the future. They risked the lives of these pets for the benefit of making a buck. No life is worth that! When will they understand that!

Melody
Bonney Lake, Washington
U.S.A.

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