Class Action Lawsuit: Is My Dog Food Safe?

Frighteningly, NBC News has reported that a lawsuit has been filed against Nestle Purina PetCare Company claiming that one of its dog food brand products contains toxins that are killing animals.

According to NBC News, the lawsuit was filed in California in February, seeking class action status. The plaintiff, pet owner Frank Lucido, alleges that thousands of dogs have become ill or have died because of Beneful dry kibble dog food.

The lawsuit alleges that Lucido and his family owned three dogs, a German Shepherd, an English Bulldog and a Labrador, who all began eating the Beneful brand in late December or early January. He claims that the dogs were kept in different locations at this time because there were home renovations going on at the family’s property.

Lucido alleges that by the end of January, all three of the dogs became ill, with the English Bulldog eventually dying. An examination of the dog allegedly showed internal bleeding in the dog’s stomach and lesions on his liver. These symptoms were also found among the other family dogs.

In his lawsuit, Lucido claims that the one constant that all of the dogs experienced at the time of his home renovations were the foods they were eating. It should be noted that more than 3,000 consumers have made complaints online of dogs becoming ill, and in some cases dying, after eating Beneful kibble style dog foods, NBC News reported. Many of the complaints also involve instances of alleged internal bleeding, malfunction or failure of the liver, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.

The Lucido lawsuit alleges that the dog food contains propylene glycol, a known animal toxin.

How Can I File a Consumer Class Action Lawsuit?

As this case shows, when a company puts out an allegedly defective product, it opens itself up to class action litigation. This is especially true when the products in question are edible and may sicken people or pets.

It should be noted that there have been other high profile class action cases recently involving toxic pet food or products. NBC News reported that in May, Purina and Waggin’ Train LLC agreed to set aside $6.5 million to compensate pet owners who claimed that their animals were harmed by imported jerky treats.

Keep in mind, our own Gary Graifman has been involved in litigation where consumers have sought class action status for cases involving widespread product defects. If you have any questions, as a consumer that has been harmed, it may be in your best interest to speak to an attorney. You can seek compensation for your losses.

Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. – Class Action Lawyers

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lawsuit-claims-purinas-beneful-poisoning-killing-dogs-n312176