posted
I found this on the Pilot's website (article below). I don't know how a company could "unwittingly" sell flea and tick control products. As one person put when commenting on the article "do they buy these from some guy in an unmarked van?"
Just wanted to let anyone that's in the area, and may shop at Care-A-Lot (or that shops online)know what they're up to. I'm really peeved that they wouldn't make a comment to proclaim their innocence.
If anyone wants to send them a piece of their mind, you can contact them from their website, carealotpets.com.
Pet supply company to pay fine By SCOTT HARPER, The Virginian-Pilot � October 12, 2006
A Virginia Beach pet supply company has agreed to pay a $30,000 fine to settle complaints that it violated federal pesticide law by selling counterfeit flea-control products for dogs and cats.
In a settlement released Wednesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Care-A-Lot Inc. admitted no wrongdoing in the case, which dates to 2003, when the EPA determined that the company was selling mislab eled and unregistered Advantage and Frontline anti-flea products. Because the popular, over-the-counter products lacked correct labeling and warning notices, the EPA suspected that they were counterfeit and that Care-A-Lot was likely an unwitting distributor of them.
Care-A-Lot was found to be selling such goods in 2003 on its Web site, through its company catalog, and at a retail store in Virginia Beach, according to the settlement.
"Once we went to them and pointed this out, they were very cooperative," said Bonnie Smith, an EPA spokeswoman at regional headquarters in Philadelphia.
Company president Robert Clarke signed the EPA settlement last month, which requires Care-A-Lot to pay a $30,000 penalty in 10 installments. Phone calls seeking comment from company officials in Virginia Beach were not returned Wednesday.
Concerned that potentially dangerous materials were on the market, and that people and their pets might be at risk, the EPA put out a nationwide "fact sheet" in 2004 warning retailers and distributors about counterfeit flea-control products.
The agency also instructed merchants to remove the bogus goods and dispose of them safely, or face possible enforcement action.
The EPA noted that it's often difficult to tell the difference between the fake and real products. One way is to open a package and check for missing or incomplete instructions.
As part of its settlement with the EPA, Care-A-Lot certified that it now is in full compliance with federal rules governing insecticides, fungicides and rodenticides.
The brands suspected of being counterfeits were Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus, and Advantage flea- and tick-control products for dogs and cats. The goods are sold as powders, collars and gels.
The EPA received a tip from someone who bought suspicious products there, said Smith, the agency's spokeswoman.
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