FDA investigating Tukwila pet food company after repeated recalls

TUKWILA, Wash. — The FDA is alerting pet owners to a pattern of four recalls and multiple complaints associated with Tukwila-based Darwin’s Natural Pet Products' raw pet foods.

The company only sells its products directly to consumers online.

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The raw pet foods were recalled during the period from Oct. 17, 2016 to Feb. 10, 2018 after the foods tested positive for salmonella or listeria. See a list of all products that have been recalled now and in the past here.

In the most recent incident on February 10, 2018, Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural recalled ZooLogics Duck with Vegetable Meals for Dogs (Lot #41957) and ZooLogics Chicken with Vegetable Meals for Dogs (Lot #41567) because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The FDA said the latest recall was sparked by a complaint that an adult dog that had recurring diarrhea over a nine-month period. The dog tested positive for Salmonella from initial testing by the veterinarian and by follow-up testing by the FDA's Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network. The Darwin's Natural raw pet food that the dog had been fed was also positive for Salmonella.

The FDA has investigated six complaints of sickness and death in animals that have eaten the recalled raw pet food products.

Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural has notified its customers directly of the recalls via email, but so far has not issued any public notification announcing Feb. 10 or any previous recalls.

The FDA said there have also been complaints about at least three animals who were reportedly hurt by bone shards in the Darwin’s Natural raw pet food products.

Contaminated raw pet food is of particular importance because of the potential hazard to both human and animals, according to the FDA. Pets can get sick from Salmonella, but may also be carriers of the bacteria and can infect humans. Pets do not have to be apparently ill to be able to pass Salmonella to their human companions.

The FDA is asking consumers to report complaints about this and other pet food products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

Both the FDA and the Washington State Department of Agriculture are investigating.

Cox Media Group