Part of your responsibility as a pet parent is to help protect your pet from potentially harmful products. While it is nearly impossible to ensure that your pet never comes in contact with recalled pet food or treats, there are several things you can do to help reduce your pet's risk.

1. Check humanesociety.org/petfoodsafety regularly for the latest information on pet food and treats that have been recalled. You may also want to join our online community to receive information about recalls via the Pets for Life enewsletter. In addition, the FDA website is a helpful tool that provides updated information for all product recalls.

2. If your pet's food or treats are recalled, immediately stop feeding the product to your pet. Recalled products may be returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund or thrown away in a secure area not accessible to animals. If you have questions about recalled food or treats or require additional information contact the company that manufactures the product. View a list of recently recalled pet food and treats

3. If your pet may have consumed a recalled product, consult your veterinarian, even if your pet does not appear to have any symptoms.

4. Take action to make products safer in the future by urging your legislators to support the Pet and Human Food Safety Act.

5. If your pet has become ill or died because of a recalled food or treat, please report it to The Food and Drug Administration Consumer Complaint Coordinator in your state.

Posted Sept. 13, 2007.