FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Bloomington, IN – August 3, 2006 -- Dog Condoms, Inc. is announcing a voluntary recall of its Dog Condoms® canine prophylactics, due to an unacceptable failure rate reported during preliminary release in test markets. Use of these recalled condoms may result in unwanted canine pregnancies. Additionally, meat-scented Dog Condoms® may present a choking hazard, especially for smaller dogs. These condoms were sold to consumers in limited test markets after May 1, 2005. The Dog Condoms® affected by this recall include all Dog Condom® products released to market, including Small, Medium, and Large Canine sizes, in both the lubricated and meat-scented varieties. Initial clinical trials with training veterinary staff yielded good results for Dog Condoms®. The statistics for incidents of unplanned conception for unaltered canines using the condom while engaging in mating behavior represented less than .5% of the clinical sample group. However, the success of these veterinary trials did not carry over into their use by dog owners in test markets. Following three months of limited consumer trials in seven test market cities across the U.S., consumers using the product reported 102 incidents of unwanted pregnancies resulting from apparent failure of Dog Condoms® products. Another 15 consumers reported choking incidents resulting from animals attempting to ingest Dog Condoms® meat-scented condoms. No fatalities were reported as a result of the choking incidents, but medical intervention was required in 4 cases. Dog Condoms® researchers are currently investigating the cause of the product failures. It is not yet clear whether the product failed to perform correctly in these cases as a result of flaws in design, material, or manufacturing, due to faulty quality control, or if the failures resulted from incorrect use of Dog Condoms® by consumers. The recalled product lots will be carefully analyzed to determine if faulty materials were a factor. If this is the case, the company will address the flaw at the appropriate stage of the production process to insure the integrity of the product. If it is found that the product failure was a result of dog owner error, additional study will be done to address issues of ease of use and consumer education. If necessary, Dog Condoms® products may undergo a redesign to make them more user-friendly and reliably functional. Additional focus groups may be used to test the efficacy of the products’ labeling and written instructions for use. All Dog Condoms® meat-scented products will be discontinued indefinitely. The products in question were sold in the following cities: Baltimore, MD; Richmond, VA; Omaha, NE, Providence, RI; Baton Rouge, LA; Sioux City, IA; and Madison, WI. The manufacturer has notified stores in all test markets of this recall and requested that all Dog Condoms® products be pulled from shelves immediately and returned to the manufacturer. Consumers who purchased Dog Condoms® products may return the unused portion of the product to the place of purchase, where they will be refunded the value of the sale, or mail the product to the manufacturer with proof of purchase for reimbursement. Dog owners who received samples of Dog Condoms® products from their veterinarian are asked to return any unused product to the vet who distributed it. All veterinary offices that received shipments of Dog Condoms® products have been notified of this recall and are advised to discontinue distribution of the products and return them to the manufacturer immediately. Until this issue has successfully been resolved, no further market trials are planned, and Dog Condoms® products will not be made available again to the public until further notice.