The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Arrow Reliance, Inc., a Washington state-based manufacturer of raw pet food, alleging the products pose health risks to both pets and humans. The legal action aims to prevent the company from continuing to sell its products until necessary safety improvements are made.
Read More
The lawsuit, announced on Tuesday, targets the founder and CEO of Arrow Reliance, Gary Tashjian, claiming the company failed to implement vital measures to avoid contamination in its uncooked pet food. "Despite repeated FDA warnings, this company continues to manufacture and distribute products contaminated with harmful bacteria," stated Timothy Schell, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. He emphasized that the FDA will take action to ensure public health when companies neglect product safety.
The complaint details numerous instances over the past decade in which the raw pet food was tested and found to contain pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Recent FDA tests indicated that two-thirds of 18 samples taken in 2023 harbored these dangerous bacteria.
The Justice Department noted that the raw food, which is sold nationwide, is intended to be fed uncooked, thus allowing the pathogens to survive. Furthermore, the department raised concerns about potential human infection, citing a case from 2024 where a child fell seriously ill after a dog was fed Arrow Reliance products.
Schell remarked, "Every American pet owner deserves confidence that the food they feed their animals is safe and will not pose health risks to their families."
In response, Tashjian asserted that the company is committed to adhering to FDA regulations and highlighted its rigorous manufacturing standards. He stated, "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."
The lawsuit seeks a court order to prevent Arrow Reliance from manufacturing or selling its pet food until it adheres to required sanitation and safety standards. Information for this article was sourced from the Department of Justice.