Another good reason not to buy at Wal*Mart

(You know I think they've evil, right?)

Heidi wanted to make sure this information got out, for those who do shop there:

Wal-Mart pulls dog treats; no public announcement
by Pam Spaulding · 8/21/2007 11:23:00 PM ET

No recall needed yet. I guess the big box retailer hoped its customers wouldn't notice that it hasn't been testing imported pet products sold at its stores since the Menu Foods Melamine Affair. Move along...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling two brands of dog treats in July, after customers voiced concerns that the Chinese products may have caused their pets to fall ill, but no recall has been announced, a company spokeswoman confirmed.

The world's largest retailer started pulling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading on July 26, spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said late Monday.

Wal-Mart also placed a computerized block on all cash registers to prevent workers from selling the products, Galberth said.

"When we took it off shelves at the end of July, we pulled it based on the customer feedback so we could do testing prior to announcing anything publicly," Galberth said. "That's why did not make a public announcement -- it was still going through the testing process."

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The Patricia and I were having a bit of a debate related to this subject. Who would you say is more at fault, morally, for dangerously-tainted products from -- well, in this case, China, but it could be anywhere -- being distributed in the U.S.?

• Is it the manufacturing country, for thinking 'Oh, it's just a bunch of foreigners and we want/need the money'? And not caring what happens to a bunch of strangers, or the environment in the longer term?


• Or is it the American-based corporation for allowing quality standards to go unenforced, so they can make a profit margin for people who are rich already to get richer?

I'm of the 'glass houses' opinion as well; haven't companies flying American colours done the same to populations in the poorer equitorial countries?

What do you think? Oh, and your dog is going to get fat, she doesn't need treats anyway.