Earth Animal “No-Hide Dog Chews” are named to advertise the claim that the chews do not contain rawhide. But this class action brings suit against Earth Animal Ventures, Inc., Earth Animal Ventures, LLC, and Pony Express Foods, LLC alleging that the chews do in fact contain rawhide.
The class for this action is all persons who live in the US who, between June 12, 2017 and the present, bought any Earth Animal No-Hide Chews, not for reselling but for household or business use.
Rawhide is defined in the complaint as “a hide or animal skin that has not been exposed to tanning.” The “No-Hide” name and packaging of the product, which says, “The Healthy Rawhide Alternative” are intended to promote the idea that the chews do not contain rawhide.
They claim to be made from olive oil, brown rice flour, eggs, agar-agar, and enzymes from banana and pineapple, plus a protein flavor.
Other advertising and marketing materials make similar claims about the chews:
- “Easily digestible”
- 100% Human Grade Ingredients”
- “USDA inspected and approved for human consumption”
- “No Chemicals or Additives”
- “No Leather”
However, the complaint alleges that the chews contain substances that render these claims false, including rawhide, chemicals, leather, steroids, and hormones.
Reproduced in the complaint is an ad for the chews, headed “No-Hide vs. rawhide,” that says, “No-Hide’s average 80% digestibility compared to just 18% in rawhide. With absolutely NO chemicals, bleaches, formaldehydes, or additives, you can be happy knowing your pet is truly getting a nutritious, delicious, and long-lasting No-Hide Nirvana experience.”
Consumers have reason not to want to give rawhide products to their dogs, the complaint implies, claiming, “Rawhide chews are made from the leather industry’s leftovers.”
“Often,” the complaint alleges, “rawhide contains chemicals, steroids, and additives like hydrogen peroxide, bleach, lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium salts, and formaldehyde. These chemicals, steroids, and additives are not ‘human grade,’ and therefore not approved for human consumption. Indeed, it is the presence of these chemicals and additives in rawhide that make it difficult for dogs to digest.”
The complaint alleges that “two analyses have revealed … the Alleged No-Hide Chews do indeed contain rawhide.”
How do we know this? The complaint says, “On July 14, 2017, a leather chemist … analyzed two Alleged No-Hide Chews, and found that ‘given the size, thickness, and physical structure of the ‘bone’ material in this “No-Hide” product, the material is absolutely rawhide split material.”
The leather chemist also said that “such a material of this size with this size fibers … could only come from a large animal skin.” His analysis added that the material was “definitely not a synthetic or reconstituted collagen product nor was it a non-hide type collagen structure…”
The complaint also points to a study that it says included a No-Hide chew and found it to contain rawhide.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
No-Hide Chews Deceptive No-Rawhide Claims Complaint
October 12, 2020
Earth Animal “No-Hide Dog Chews” are named to advertise the claim that the chews do not contain rawhide. But this class action brings suit against Earth Animal Ventures, Inc., Earth Animal Ventures, LLC, and Pony Express Foods, LLC alleging that the chews do in fact contain rawhide.
No-Hide Chews Deceptive No-Rawhide Claims ComplaintCase Event History
No-Hide Chews Deceptive No-Rawhide Claims Complaint
October 12, 2020
Earth Animal “No-Hide Dog Chews” are named to advertise the claim that the chews do not contain rawhide. But this class action brings suit against Earth Animal Ventures, Inc., Earth Animal Ventures, LLC, and Pony Express Foods, LLC alleging that the chews do in fact contain rawhide.
No-Hide Chews Deceptive No-Rawhide Claims Complaint