Tainted Pet Food: Grieving Pet Owners Want Answers

Losing a pet was hard enough for many people and several pet food companies are facing lawsuits, but now one of the main companies behind the recalled pet food has stopped taking claims and won't even answer consumer questions. So we took a look at what's going on.

Kim Lesiewski and her son Dustin still think about Sake, their spunky shitzu dog, who loved to play, jump and cuddle until one day, suddenly Sake wasn't frisky any more.

Kim Lesiewski, Napa: "My dog going from happily walking around, going for his walks, playing, to not being able to stand up."

He got worse. Kim rushed him to the animal hospital.

Kim Lesiewski: "We had to give him a chance. I was hoping that he would be okay."

Kim held Sake all night long."

Kim Lesiewski: "What was really sad about is right when I started to fall asleep, I was crying and he licked the tears out of my eyes."

Within three days, Saki was dead.

Kim Lesiewski: "I had to close his eyes because they were still open."

They buried him in a backyard grave.

The veterinarian said Sake's kidneys suddenly failed. No one knew why. Then came that big recall of wet pet food that sickened or killed thousands of cats and dogs. Kim says Sake had eaten some of that food just before he died.

Kim Lesiewski: "I feel like we contributed to his death. I gave him food not knowing it was tainted."

Kim called Menu Foods of Canada, distributor of the wheat gluten now suspected of causing the deaths.

Kim Lesiewski: "They said, 'oh we're so sorry, get all your medical records together, we'll send you out a claim form.'"

But later Menu Foods refused to talk with her.

Kim Lesiewski: "So what you're leaving the pet owners out on limbo? That's not really right.'"

A Menu Foods spokesperson did not return our calls, but a company statement says it stopped talking to consumers because of a class action lawsuit.

The statement says Menu Foods still wants to "compensate pet owners for reasonable expenses." But a court order "prevents us from having direct contact'' with pet owners and "we regret that we cannot communicate with you.''

That didn't help Kim, but here's something that did. Taji is the family's new shitzu. He's a frisky, affectionate puppy who loves to romp with a basketball.

Kim Lesiewski: "I'm overly protective now because of my other one. He will not eat wet food, only dry food."

She still can't forget Sake.

Kim Lesiewski: "Yes, they did take a very good friend. Even if it is a pet, it's also a family member."

If your pet got sick or died from contaminated pet food, you would automatically be a part of a class action suit. Just keep all receipts and vet bills for proof. A federal court is overseeing a proposed class action. It could be months or years before there's a result.

Copyright 2007, ABC7/KGO-TV/DT.