If you love your pet as a member of your family, the last thing you want is to feed it something that’s harmful for it. The complaint for this class action alleges that Champion Petfoods USA, Inc. has allowed heavy metals and toxins in its dog food.
The class for this action is all citizens of Washington state who, between July 1, 2013 and the present, bought the contaminated dog food for household or business use, and not for resale. (See the list of products below.)
Champion makes pet food under the Acana and Orijen brand names. It claims to make “biologically ‘appropriate’ pet food—as close to what animals would eat in nature as possible—and producing it using fresh, natural ingredients…” The complaint claims that the company charges a premium for this higher-quality pet food.
The company implies that the pet food is free from toxins and heavy metals, the complaint charges, because of its assertion that the food mirrors the diet of a wolf, containing natural ingredients and being free from anything “nature did not intend for your dog to eat.” It also claims that food is made with protein sources that have been “deemed fit for human consumption…” The company also says the food is “Biologically Appropriate” and contains “Fresh Regional Ingredients.”
The company describes its processing facility as “[e]quipped with state-of-the-art fresh food processing technologies” with ingredients that are [u]nmatched by any pet food maker.” Also, the complaint says, “[d]efendants have publicly stated on their website that they require their suppliers ‘provide heavy metals and mercury test results, for which we also test our final food products.’”
All of this, the complaint says, gives the impression that the pet food is safe and pure.
However, according to the complaint, the pet foods contain arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and/or bisphenol A (BPA). A chart in the complaint shows the levels of these substances in various types of the pet food, including arsenic levels as high as more than 3,000 ug per kg and lead levels of nearly 490 ug per kg.
The complaint claims that the company has breached warranties and committed both negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation, among other things.
These are the dog foods at issue:
- Acana Regionals Appalachian Ranch with Ranch-Raised Red Meats & Freshwater Catfish
- Acana Regionals Grasslands with Grass-Fed Kentucky Lamb, Freshwater Trout & Game Bird
- Acana Regionals Meadowland with Free-Run Poultry, Freshwater Fish, and Nest-Laid Eggs
- Acana Regionals Wild Atlantic with New Wild New England Fish & Fresh Kentucky Greens
- Orijen Original with Fresh Free-Run Chicken and Turkey, Wild-Caught Fish and Nest-Laid Eggs
- Orijen Regional Red with Angus Beef, Wild Boar, Boer Goat, Romney Lamb, Yorkshire Pork & Wild Mackerel
- Orijen Regional Red Angus Beef, Ranch Raised Lamb, Wild Boar, Pork, Bison Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Six Fish with New England Mackerel, Herring, Flounder, Redfish, Monkfish and Silver Hake
- Acana Singles Duck and Pear Formula Dry Dog Food
- Acana Singles Lamb and Apple Formula Dry Dog Food
- Acana Heritage Free-Run Poultry Formula Dry Dog Food
- Acana Heritage Freshwater Fish Formula Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Tundra Freeze Dried Venison, Elk, Bison, Quail, Steelhead Trout Wet Dog Food
- Origjen Adult Dog Freeze Dried Chicken, Turkey, Wild Caught Fish, Eggs Wet Dog Food
- Orijen Regional Red Freeze Dried Angus Beef, Ranch Raised Lamb, Wild Boar, Pork, Bison Wet Dog Food
- Orijen Regional Red Angus Beef, Ranch Raised Lamb, Wild Boar, Pork, Bison Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Six Fish Wild-Caught Regional Saltwater and Freshwater Fish Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Tundra Goat, Venison, Mutton, Bison, Arctic Char, Rabbit Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Grain Free Puppy Chicken, Turkey, Wild-Caught Fish, Eggs, Dry Dog Food
- Acana Singles Mackerel and Greens Formula Dry Dog Food
- Acana Heritage Meats Formula Dry Dog Food
- Acana Singles Pork and Squash Formula Dry Dog Food
Topic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Acana and Orijen Pet Food Heavy Metals and Toxins Complaint
October 26, 2018
If you love your pet as a member of your family, the last thing you want is to feed it something that’s harmful for it. The complaint for this class action alleges that Champion Petfoods USA, Inc. has allowed heavy metals and toxins in its dog food.
champion_petfood_toxins_complaint.pdfCase Event History
Acana and Orijen Pet Food Heavy Metals and Toxins Complaint
October 26, 2018
If you love your pet as a member of your family, the last thing you want is to feed it something that’s harmful for it. The complaint for this class action alleges that Champion Petfoods USA, Inc. has allowed heavy metals and toxins in its dog food.
champion_petfood_toxins_complaint.pdf