US sues raw pet food maker; says 2/3 of recent samples had pathogens
The Justice Department has sued a Washington state-based pet food maker
The Justice Department is taking a Washington state-based raw pet food maker to court to prevent it from selling products that the government argues pose a risk to animals, as well as the people who live with them.
Big picture view:
On Tuesday, the DOJ laid out its case against the maker of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, Arrow Reliance, Inc. and the company’s founder and CEO, Gary Tashjian. The lawsuit claims the company did not take the necessary steps to prevent its uncooked products from being adulterated.
What they're saying:
"Despite repeated FDA warnings, this company continues to manufacture and distribute products contaminated with harmful bacteria," said Timothy Schell, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. "When a company does not take responsibility for product safety, FDA will intervene to protect public health."
The backstory:
The lawsuit listed the repeated instances over the past decade where the raw pet food was found to contain Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria monocytogenes and pointed out that, in 18 tests conducted by the Food and Drug Administration since 2023, two-thirds of samples contained pathogens.
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The DOJ added that the food, which is sold nationwide, is not meant to be cooked or prepared in any other way that could potentially kill the pathogens.
Why you should care:
In addition to the risk to the four-legged family members, the DOJ explained how the raw pet food can also infect the humans living in the home. The government pointed to a 2024 case where a four-year-old child contracted a STEC infection and developed hemolytic uremic syndrome after the family’s dog was given food made by Arrow Reliance.
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"Every American pet owner deserves confidence that the food they feed their animals is safe and will not pose health risks to their families," Schell said.
The other side:
In a statement, Tashjian said the company takes complying with FDA requirements seriously and highlighted the company's manufacturing and sourcing standards as ways Darwin's Natural Pet Products ensures the quality of its products.
"We strongly disagree with the FDA’s recent claims and intend to vigorously defend our ability to continue making safe, high-quality raw pet food," he said. "In the meantime, we remain squarely focused on our top priorities: supporting the health and wellbeing of the pets we serve."
What's next:
The lawsuit is asking the court to bar Arrow Reliance from making or selling its pet foods until the company makes sanitation improvements and complies with preventative controls regulation and other food safety requirements.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Department of Justice. This story was reported from Orlando.