The BBC and other news sources are reporting that two Chinese firms and an American Company have been indicted in the US for "their alleged role in a tainted pet food scandal."

We reported back in May of last year on toxins in pet food and other substances imported from China. USA Today also carried a story on the indictments.

Thousands of cats and dogs died last year as a result of a pet food contaminant and prosecutors are alleging that the American company Chemnutra is partly responsible. Chemnutra is based in Las Vegas.

Chemnutra has denied any wrongdoing.

Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development is one of the two Chinese firms that have been indicted. The other is Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products Arts and Crafts.

Individuals at all three firms have been charged separately.

According to USA Today,

ChemNutra imported 13 shipments of the ingredient between November 2006 and February 2007, the indictments say.

The tainted product led to the recall of more than 60 million cans of pet food and 150 brands of dog and cat food. Much of the recalled food was made by Menu Foods, a Canada-based private-label manufacturer.

No official tally of dead or sick pets has been done. Six weeks after the recall started last March, the FDA said it had received unconfirmed consumer reports of 1,950 dead cats and 2,200 dead dogs.

China does not have an extradition treaty with the US, but the Chinese companies may still bear civil liability under the terms of their contracts.