Follow
Purina is facing a class-action lawsuit that claims that its dog food contains poisonous toxins which sicken and even kill the dogs consuming the company’s dry dog food. The lawsuit was filed by Frank Lucido, pet owner who used Nestle’s Purina brand to feed his three dogs. Lucido alleges that of the three dogs who consumed the company’s food, two became gravely ill and one died.
In response to these claims, Purina insisted that the claim was unfounded and announced that it would defend the company’s nutritious, quality food.
According to the lawsuit, Purina’s dry “kibble” dog food contains unsafe levels of propylene glycol and mycotoxins. According to Daily Beast, the latter is a dangerous byproduct of mold while the former is an additive approved by the FDA which is also commonly used in antifreeze and electronic cigarette liquid. While propylene glycol has been banned as an ingredient in cat food, the substance hasn’t been proven to be dangerous when consumed by dogs.
However, Lucido’s attorneys beg to differ, claiming that multiple complaints against Purina have gathered up throughout the years. According to a report from Legal Newsline, over 3,000 complaints have been filed online, claiming that dogs are dying or becoming sick after eating the food produced by Purina.
Lucido was the owner of three dogs: a German Shepherd (age 4), an English Bulldog (age 8) and a Labrador (age 11). All three dogs switched to Purina dog food in late December and became ill soon after. Lucido subjected the English Bulldog (who died) to a post-mortem examination which suggested that the dog had suffered internal complications. The other two dogs were examined by a veterinarian who claimed that both animals had been displaying symptoms “consistent with poisoning”.
“The one constant they had was they were all eating the same dog food.”
Jeff Cereghino, an attorney representing Lucido said.
Indeed, the most consistent symptoms mentioned in all the complaints connected to Purina’s dog food include vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, internal bleeding and liver malfunction.
Jeff Cereghino, one of Lucido’s attorneys, explains that a few hundred cases wouldn’t have raised such suspicions, especially since there are extremely large numbers of dogs consuming Purina’s food. But when these numbers reach thousands, the situation changes.
Cereghino hopes that the court would allow attorneys to investigate Beneful’s ingredients and conduct tests.
Lucido and other pet owners who lost their beloved companions as a result of what they believe is bad quality dog food are seeking unspecified damages from Purina.
Yet the company has already faced two different class action lawsuits in the past, and both have been dismissed. One lawsuit, however, was settled by the company, which also created a $6.5 million fund to ensure that pet owners who lost their dogs as a result of the pets consuming China-produced jerky treats could be compensated.
“Cases like these are important because we do invest so much love and time in our pets and they are such a part of our family,”
Cereghino said during an interview with NBC News.
Image Source: Philly
