Health officials from Merrimack and Hillsborough counties in New Hampshire report, following a thorough investigation and interviews with victims, that at least 21 human cases of salmonella poisoning have been linked to Joey’s Jerky Brand Chicken Jerky, a pet treat made primarily for dogs.
The company that makes the product, Kritters Kitchen Kreations, issued a recall following the reports of human and canine illnesses.
The jerky was distributed at various retail outlets in New Hampshire, including the America’s Pet in Hudson, Blue Seal in Bow, K9 Kaos in Dover, Osborne’s Agway in Concord, Sandy’s Pet Food Center in Concord, and The Yellow Dog’s Barn in Barrington.
Links to at least two of the New Hampshire retail establishments have been confirmed by the national food poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates, which represents victims who became ill after coming into contact with the jerky purchased from the America’s Pet in Hudson and the Blue Seal in Bow.
Each of the victims became sick following contact with Joey’s Chicken Jerky. In some cases, the victim’s dog also became ill–and in one tragic instance, a victim represented by Ron Simon lost his dog to salmonella food poisoning.
Some of the victims recount having fed the jerky by hand to their dogs, which would normally be safe except that salmonella is highly communicable. Salmonella can be easily acquired by touching the jerky, a dog who has become ill, or a surface where the jerky made contact.
Ron Simon, a national salmonella lawyer and the attorney for various victims of the Joey’s Chicken salmonella outbreak, is currently prosecuting claims on behalf of the victims. “Unfortunately, in these situations,” Simon notes, “human or animal feces is usually the source of the salmonella in the product, which means that there was a breakdown in the production or manufacture of the jerky”
