Fact Check

Pedigree Jumbone Warning

Is Pedigree recalling Jumbone brand dog treats due to a risk to canines?

David Mikkelson

Published Dec 22, 2014

Claim:   Pedigree is recalling Jumbone brand dog treats due to a risk to canines.

FALSE

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, December 2014]


Hi

This has been popping up on Facebook for a while now so I thought you'd like to know about it.

It's about Jumbone, a dog treat from Pedigree (Mars) and has all the hallmarks of a hoax - vague, lacking in verifiable facts and SHARE THIS OR YOUR PET WILL DIE!!!1!11!.

It's gaining momentum.


 

Origins:   On 18 December 2014, a Facebook user posted the following vague warning about Pedigree brand Jumbone dog treats to the social network:



URGENT. Don't give your dogs these. Pedigree Uk are re-calling them. You need to contact them if your dog has had one/been poorly. Please let all your doggy friends and family know.

This warning apparently stemmed from a single, unsubstantiated item posted to Facebook a month earlier by a pet owner who claimed her dog had become seriously ill due to consumption of Jumbones:

The warning resonated with dog lovers on Facebook, and the message was shared tens of thousands of times in the span of a few days. On 22 December 2014 the official Twitter account for Pedigree UK addressed the Jumbone warning message, stating that the claim about a recall was false:



These reports are false. We can confirm that there are no problems with Pedigree Jumbone. It's safe to eat and we pride ourselves on producing nutritious food that meets the highest quality and safety standards.

Last updated:   22 December 2014

By David Mikkelson

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.