FURminator® Exercising Zero Tolerance Toward Sellers of Counterfeit Products

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- FURminator® Inc., the company that manufactures products to help pets and pet owners with their #1 problem (shedding), has issued a stern warning to those individuals and companies that are selling fraudulent products disguised as FURminator deShedding Tools.  Stop immediately or face the consequences.

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According to FURminator officials, unsuspecting consumers are getting ripped off by sellers peddling cheap counterfeit products online. Unlike FURminator tools, which are produced in certified facilities with quality materials and patented designs, these fake tools are often manufactured poorly with inferior materials, and can contain lead, cadmium or other toxic materials. The handles break easily and their edges can cause potential harm to pets by cutting their fur or skin.

FURminator President Olivier Amice says the company is taking strong steps to protect consumers and its business from counterfeiters, such as monitoring all online sale activities, delisting sellers of these products from Ebay, Amazon and other e-commerce websites, working closely with U.S. customs officials, collaborating with the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition Inc., and exercising legal recourse. "The question anymore isn't: will we find you?" said Amice. "The question is: when will we get you?"

In a recent six-week period, FURminator delisted 10,000 online links and filed numerous lawsuits against companies engaged in fraudulent activities.  

"FURminator is a company with an outstanding reputation with our customers. We are outraged that people are being duped into thinking they are buying FURminator products when in fact they are being cheated and risking their pets' safety," said Roger Yount, Director of Marketing for FURminator. "We stand behind the premium quality and effectiveness of our deShedding tools and offer a full refund if you are not satisfied. We are doing everything possible to warn consumers about these imposters and to stop their practices. We urge pet owners to buy only from our authorized resellers to guarantee they are indeed purchasing our superior products."  

Used and recommended by professional groomers and veterinarians, FURminator deShedding Tools reduce shedding up to 90%. The company was founded by professional groomer Angie Porter and her husband David, after they worked for more than a decade to develop a new type of tool that doesn't cut the pet's coat, but instead comfortably grabs and removes the loose undercoat. Little by little they experimented with different, more-ergonomic handle designs and more-effective edges. After several modifications they arrived at their most successful design and patented the FURminator deShedding Tool, which now has multiple patents and additional patents pending.

"We estimate that this rampant problem is costing us 20-25% of our revenues," said Amice. "This is a costly and distracting problem and we are committed to solving it. We are going to aggressively guard our reputation, grow our business, defend those who legitimately sell our products, and help consumers to protect and care for their pets."

FURminator products are sold at pet specialty stores, professional pet groomers, veterinary practices and rescue organizations across the United States, and are also available online at www.FURminator.com.

FURminator has products to meet your pet's specific hair length, size and life stage. The FURminator product line features deShedding tools (MSRP $34.99 to $72.99), My FURst Groomer™ brush and comb sets for puppies and kittens (MRSP $34.99), and shampoos, conditioners, hair care and hygiene solutions (MSRP $8.99 to $14.99).

About FURminator:

FURminator Inc. enhances relationships between pet owners and their pets with effective and easy-to-use pet grooming products. Based in metropolitan St. Louis, FURminator was founded in 2002 by husband and wife team David and Angela Porter. Sold at national pet retailers, the company's products are available to consumers nationwide and distributed through professional pet groomers, veterinary practices and rescue organizations across the United States, and are also available for purchase online or through professional and consumer catalogs. For more information on FURminator, visit www.FURminator.com.

SOURCE FURminator Inc.