Autumn’s pet parent believes jerky treats killed the dog and she’s not happy with the class action settlement. (Photo: Custom)

“She was not an animal to anybody. I just felt cheated from what they’ve done. “

Wilma Gregory and her dog, Autumn, were part of class action lawsuit against a dog food company. Class action lawsuits exists because sometimes it’s easier for a group of people to band together to take a company to court – not many of us have the money to take on a big company. But Wilma wasn’t happy with the results.

“She was special. She was just special,” says Wilma.

Sweet-faced Autumn has been gone for almost three years.

“You sit in the chair, she’s laying the chair. You go to bed, she’d go to bed. She was right there with you just like a youngin,” says Wilma.

Wilma Gregory’s purebred Shih Tzu started getting sick in May 2011, about the time Wilma started feeding her jerky treats

The vet treated Autumn for hearing loss, skin twitching, anorexia, pain, bronchitis, cystisis, lethargy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and finally a stroke.

But Wilma didn’t make the connection to the treats until Nestle Purina and Waggin’ Train recalled them. That’s when Wilma discovered the New York State Department of Agriculture identified six unapproved antibiotic drugs in some of the Nestle jerky pet treats manufactured in China.

And pet owners reported  5800 dog illnesses and 1000 dog deaths to the FDA. The agency “believes” but hasn’t pinpoint the treats as the cause. Wilma’s vet couldn’t say the treats killed Autumn either. But Wilma has no doubts.

“I felt bad for a long time because I was purchasing them for her. And I was poisoning her and didn’t know it.”

Nestle Purina settled a class action lawsuit against it for $6.5 million. Because Wilma had bought treats, she could submit a claim. She did for her $3700 vet bill, but ….

“Purina sent me a check for $27.11. I sent them everything they asked for. They just didn’t act like they cared,” says Wilma.

Brian Reitter with the North Carolina Consumers Council says people should not expect much monetarily from class action lawsuits. It’s more the principle.

“At the same time, it’s also a way to kind for – lack of a better phrase – to stick it to the man. It’s a good way for the individual to accomplish something against a large entity or company,” says Brian.

But what Wilma really wants from the company, money can’t buy. It’s for what she says a Purina customer service rep said over the phone.

“They told me she’s just a dog. I would like an apology for saying she’s just a dog.”

The website for the settlement does have a whole complicated formula for how it determined the amount people got back. But it didn’t seem like much rhyme or reason – online people reported they didn’t submit any documents and they got $300. The site does not provide any information about how to appeal your settlement amount.

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