Mutant Zombie Puppy Attacks Child
I had a fascinating experience this morning. I was reading an article in the NY Post on a toy made by Fisher-Price that the New York Public Research Interest Group has suggested is unsafe. Apparently it contains bromine, a fire retardant that can affect the reproductive system and cause birth defects, as well as mercury, which affects the organs and nervous system. Nice!!
I look over and the toy is sitting beside my six-month old son…I get up and we say good-bye to the Laugh & Learn™ Learning Puppy™ which I’m now calling mutant zombie puppy.
So when I get to work I pick up the phone and call Fisher-Price. Their consumer relations person (who would not give her name) read me a statement to the effect that Fisher-Price believes that the toy to be in compliance with the current safety standards. However they are no longer selling it on their online store….something’s fishy at Fisher-Price!!
The website Healthstuff.org published the test results on their website and the NYPIRG included the toy in their Trouble in Toyland report. …clearly it’s not a happy day for the folks over at Fisher Price.
The lesson here is that we each to have a better plan for this type of situation that Fisher-Price did today. What happens when The Ecology Center decided to focus on a promotional product? What if your product shows up on one of their lists? Each company in our industry needs to know what to say when some organization calls one of our products unsafe.
I tripped over this issue this morning and I’m still not sure what to think. I know I’m going home to take a hard look at all the Fisher Price stuff that litters my living room and the next time I buy something it’s probable not going to be from Fisher-Price.
It’s too bad since they make nice stuff and I remember some Fisher Price toys fondly from my own childhood. The good news is that the kid is very interested in his toes right now so he’s not missing the Mutant Zombie Puppy.
I have a 6 mo daughter. I did the same. I bought it in Wal-Mart and they agreed to give me a store credit even though it has not been recalled. I have it in my car. I took it right away. I saw it on the evening news a few weeks ago. It’s a shame too, that was her FAVORITE toy.
I bought My Pal Violet to kind of replace it… but it’s not the same.