Anger as Amazon recall counterfeit dog medication, YuMOVE

Stephen Price

Retail giant, Amazon is under fire after admitting the sale of counterfeit pet supplement, YuMOVE, through third party sellers on their platform which has caused serious health issues in dogs across the UK.

A devastating post shared to Facebook by pet groomers, Hughes Happy Hounds detailed one owner’s experience of having to have their beloved dog put to sleep after ingesting a total of 36 counterfeit tablets which were purchased through a third party seller on Amazon.co.uk.

They shared: “For the past week our family dog, Zac, has been severely unwell. He’s had constant sickness and diarrhoea, loss of appetite completely and not eaten for days. He was so unwell we took him to the vets to have blood tests and it came back he had Liver Disease.

“He then deteriorated rapidly and was scheduled to be put to sleep.

“Yesterday we received an email from Amazon saying the YuMOVE tablets had been recalled because they’re counterfeit and hazardous. We worked out Zac has had 36 of these tablets and has potentially been poisoned.

“Heartbroken”

The post continued: “We are absolutely heartbroken as he was due to be taken to the vets that day to say goodbye and after finding out the awful truth we can’t believe it has come to this.

“He has now been given antibiotics and anti sickness form the vets and has perked up slightly but is still very very poorly.

“In our case, the box was real but the tablets inside were fake, we also noticed the expiration dates didn’t match up on the sleeve compared to what the box said.

“If you’re worried about your dog please take them to the vets straight away.”

Warning for you if you buy YuMove off Amazon.

Please check your boxes in case they are counterfeit like this person’s. 1 poorly pup. 😢

Hope nobody else is affected 🙏🏼🤞🏼 pic.twitter.com/EfmR6kYTJI

— Lisa Kitteridge (@kitteridge_lisa) November 4, 2024

The post was later updated, with Zac’s owners sharing: “Zac deteriorated further and attended the vets but sadly had to be put to sleep this afternoon  he was so incredibly brave and loved by so many.”

Comments have come in from angry and upset dog owners from across the UK, with Lorraine Hedges sharing: “I received the same email and have a very unwell dog furious with Amazon – they were so flippant on phone. I bought them in September and I get this email yesterday he’s already sick with cushing…

“I just cried – he doesn’t appear to have been affected but the fact that I could have poisoned him terrifies me. He’s my world, I’m so upset.”

As these products are counterfeit and have not been made by Lintbells/YuMOVE manufacturers, neither Amazon nor Lintbells are able to advise on their ingredients or safety.

They are also unable to confirm if one pack of counterfeit product is the same as another as ingredients may vary.

Email

In an email sent to unsuspecting purchasers of the counterfeit supplement, Amazon wrote: “This is an important message regarding your order.

“We would like to inform you of a recall relating to a product you bought on Amazon.co.uk, which may make animals unwell.

“We have identified a number of counterfeit units of the below YuMOVE product(s) being sold by some third-party sellers in our UK store. We are proactively reaching out to you because you have bought this product from a third-party seller.

“Product: YuMOVE Adult Dog | Joint Supplement for Adult Dogs with Glucosamine Chondroitin Green Lipped Mussel | Aged 6 to 8 | 120 Tablets

“Please note: These counterfeits were not manufactured by YuMOVE and this recall does not affect products and units manufactured by YuMOVE, nor does this affect units “Dispatched from and Sold by” Amazon.

“We urgently ask you that you do not give this product to your pet and dispose of the product. If your pet has consumed the product and is feeling unwell, please seek veterinary advice. If you bought this item for someone else, share this email with them.

“For more information, YuMOVE has shared the following Link: https://yumove.co.uk/pages/amazon-faqs

“We’ve refunded the purchase price to the original payment method used to pay for this item. You’ll receive a confirmation e-mail from us once the refund has been processed and you’ll be able to view completed refunds in Your Orders, by selecting “Order Details”.

“Please allow your bank 1 to 3 business days to process the refund to your account.

“We again regret any inconvenience this may cause you but trust you will understand that the safety and satisfaction of our customers is our highest priority.”

“Duped”

Nation.Cymru has been contacted by two separate dog owners from Wales who have received emails from Amazon informing them of an impending refund for their purchases.

Mel Davies, from Newport told us: “Livid does not describe how I feel right now.

“My dog is booked into the vets for tomorrow as we couldn’t get an appointment today, and I just feel so utterly guilty. I’m seething, to be honest.

“This makes me wonder if the flea treatments, or indeed any products I’ve bought via a third party have undergone any checks carried out whatsoever?

“Under the umbrella of Amazon they’re basically legitimising and laundering counterfeit and potentially lethal products. Phone chargers, you name it, I have absolutely no faith now.

“For the sake of saving a few pence, I feel sick to my stomach and angry at the trust I placed in them.

“And the nerve to be sorry for the ‘inconvenience’. I had strong concerns about using Amazon before but that’s it now, I’m done.”

Another who didn’t wish to be named shared: “I thought I was buying from Amazon when I clicked to buy – it was only after this email that I realised how Amazon sellers work – I just clicked the first ones that came up.

“My dog seems fine, but I’m quite worried and I have had a cry.

“She’s eleven now and I dote on her – that’s why I bought them, to make sure she’s as healthy as she can be. So yes, duped, and very sad for her.”

YuMOVE

In the most recent update from the makers of YuMOVE, Lintbells, Dr Courtney Miller,  Chief Veterinary Officer wrote: “A number of unauthorised sellers of counterfeit YuMOVE Senior joint products, not manufactured by Lintbells Limited (YuMOVE), have been identified on Amazon.

“We have notified Amazon and Trading Standards, the relevant regulatory authority, for support and we are doing everything possible to ensure Amazon removes these illegally copied products and unauthorised sellers.”

Livid, my dogs been sick all month since being on these and I have been the vets today regarding her urinating, she has to go back for bloods. Amazon emailed me today. Please check if you are on yumove from amazon. https://t.co/NLtC9dE1aX

— ad (@ADavison89) November 7, 2024

She continued: “These sellers and products are in no way connected to us at Lintbells/YuMOVE. Whilst the products in question have been made to look very similar to YuMOVE, copying details on both boxes and tablet blister packs, they have not been produced by our manufacturers or checked by our quality team.

“Please be reassured that all YuMOVE products purchased directly from yumove.co.uk, your vet, and from our retail partners such as Pets at Home, Sainsburys, Tesco, Boots, Waitrose and Zooplus, are genuine and have passed our rigorous quality checks. Genuine YuMOVE product is also available on Amazon, however this can only be guaranteed on orders that are dispatched and sold by Amazon.

“We would encourage customers who have purchased YuMOVE products from Amazon to review their purchase history and we would not recommend continued use of products sold by third party sellers.

“Our customer care team can be contacted by email at [email protected] to provide further support and information and as always, we encourage owners to contact their vet should they have any concerns.

“Pet health is our number one priority, and we work hard to ensure our ingredients and products are subjected to rigorous safety checks and tests to uphold our high-quality standards and to safeguard pet wellbeing.

“We share the concern of our customers and pet owners that our brand name has been misused to create illegally counterfeited products and continue to work with the relevant regulatory authorities to ensure Amazon remove these products and sellers.”

This was purchased via Amazon the pack on the right confirmed as fake, no printing on the blister pack tablet darker packaging darker and batch number printed not stamped pic.twitter.com/qlENljRGWd

— J Planner (@JKPlanner) November 4, 2024

Nation.Cymru has invited Amazon to respond.

Anyone concerned about their dog’s health has been advised to speak to their vet.

Further information from Lintbells, the manufacturers of YuMOVE, can be found here.