Mouse found in beer can launches an investigation

An investigation is under way after a Woodstock man says he found a dead mouse in his Bud Light beer can.

A Woodstock man is looking for answers after he found a mouse in his can of Bud Light.

Ian Pickard sat down to enjoy a beer last Friday, but after he popped the tab, he could not believe the horrible smell. His discovery shocked Pickard and his wife.

“I took my flashlight, looked inside and said, ‘It's a mouse and she nearly hit the ceiling,’” he says.

He set the can down on the coffee table and grabbed a new beer.

It was the next morning that he made the discovery.

“After I finished dumping the can back out, I lifted it up and I heard a thunk. So I went to my garage, cut the can open and the smell was insane.”

He has since been in contact with Labatts.

Over the phone, the company told CTV News they are looking into the matter.

“This is very, very unlikely, but we want to take these situations very seriously,” says Labatts' Jake Fenn.

Fenn says based on the code on the can, an investigation into the date and time - down to the exact minute - has been conducted and there were no quality control issues logged on that date.

He also adds that the quality control level when canning is very high. The cans arrived sealed, then enter an enclosed conveyor belt.

Right before the filling process, the cans are inverted and they are throroughly rinsed with high pressure water sprays.

Labatts produces 1,600 cans of beer a minute.

A mouse can fit in a space as small as a quarter of an inch wide, so once it was opened,  there is enough room for one to get in.

But Pickard says he truly believes the mouse didn't enter the can after it was opened and left overnight in his house.

“I’m 100 per cent positive.”

He points to a smudge stain inside the can where the mouse would have been floating and the fact the mouse is pretty well preseved as to why he doesn't feel it happened overnight.

The can and mouse have been turned over to Labatts and will be subjected to forensic testing.

Pickard says he won't stop purchasing Labatts products and doesn't want anything from the company. He just wanted to make it aware of the issue.

After Pickard posted his discovery on Facebook, it garned a lot of attention. "My phone has been going non-stop all day."

He also received 200 friend requests on the day he posted it.

- With files from Kathy Rumleski / CTV London