Urgent Recall Issued for Popular Pet Toys

A line of pet toys sold at the popular grocery store chain Aldi has been recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency announced this week that the Pet Brands Products dog and cat advent calendars present a choking hazard to pets everywhere. Customers should check to make sure their pet is safe.

Aldi and Pet Brands Products announced their recall of Pure Being Advent Calendars on Dec. 9, although the FDA did not post the announcement itself until Wednesday, Jan. 5. According to Aldi, a small number of customers complained that the toys were unsafe for their pets, so out of an abundance of caution they have been recalled. Customers are asked to return the toys to the point of purchase for a full refund, or simply discard them safely.

The products impacted are the Pure Being Cat Advent Calendar and the Pure Being Dog Advent Calendar, both sold in 5.15-ounce packages. So far, there have been no reports of injuries to an pets, and it is not clear how many complaints precipitated this recall. However, Aldi and the FDA urge customers who have had problems to take their pet to the veterinarian immediately.

The recall will come as a bit of a blow to Aldi, which has been steadily building traction around the U.S. in recent years. The company started in Germany in 1946 with a single store, and has now expanded into 20 countries. The name of the chain combines the last name of its founders, Karl and Theo Albrecht, with the German word "Diskont," meaning, discount.

In the U.S., Aldi is known for great prices on imported goods, with some subtle twists to the usual grocery store layout that set it apart. Customers often need to use a quarter to reserve a shopping cart, and employees are allowed to sit on stools at the cash registers.

The Aldi Group also operates the Trader Joe's markets in the U.S., although many customers don't know they are under the same brand. Trader Joe's started as an independent family store in California in the 1960s and expanded slowly into a regional chain. The Albrecht brothers purchased the company in 1979 and helped expand it into its current national form.

For more information on this or any other recall, visit the FDA's website. If you are in possession of a recalled Pure Being Advent Calendar, be sure to return it to an Aldi store at your earliest convenience.