Recall On Chicken Jerky Pet Food Sold in Hudson

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) is announcing a voluntary recall of Joey’s Jerky brand Chicken Jerky
due to possible Salmonella risk. A total of 21 people in Merrimack and
Hillsborough Counties have been identified with the same strain of the
illness, but no deaths have occurred. Joey’s Jerky is produced in New
Hampshire and the manufacturer, Kritter’s Kitchen Kreations, LLC, has
voluntarily recalled all of the product. Joey’s Jerky was sold at the
following six stores: 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 Dogs Barn in Barrington. DHHS is asking people to check if they
have any of these jerky treats at home and to discard them.

Through investigation and interviewing the ill people, the DHHS Bureau of
Infectious Disease Control determined that the jerky treats were implicated
in spreading Salmonella. Confirmation through laboratory testing of the
jerky is pending at the New Hampshire Public Health Labs.

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes the diarrheal illness Salmonellosis,
which can be serious in some patients. Symptoms also include fever and
abdominal cramps within 12-72 hours after infection. The illness usually
lasts from 4 to 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment,
severe infections may occur that may move to other body sites and in rare
cases can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with
antibiotics.

“While uncommon, pet food and treats can sometimes be contaminated with
Salmonella, which is why it is so important for pet owners to wash their
hands after handling pet food and treats,” said Dr. José Montero, Director
of Public Health at DHHS. “I want to commend the manufacturer of Joey’s
Jerky for their cooperation in this investigation and the epidemiologists
here at Public Health for their excellent work. Salmonella can be a serious
illness and the sooner the source of an outbreak is identified the sooner
it can be stopped.”

For more information on Salmonella, contact the DHHS Bureau of Infectious
Disease Control at 603-271-4496 or visit the DHHS website at
www.dhhs.nh.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at
www.cdc.gov/salmonella.