Champion Petfoods Class Action Claims Dog Food is Toxic

Champion Petfoods includes heavy metals and other toxic chemicals in its Acana and Orijen brand dog food, according to a recent class action lawsuit.

Plaintiff Jesika Vado says she recently discovered that Acana and Orijen pet foods are “contaminated” with heightened levels of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and Bisphenol A (BPA).

Champion Petfoods USA Inc. manufactures a variety of “exclusive, high priced” dog food brands including Acana and Orijen wet and dry food.

The front of these dog food products allegedly touts the dog food as “natural,” “non-synthetic,” and containing “no artificial preservatives.”

However, Vado claims that the dog food contains levels of arsenic and heavy metals which are well beyond the safe limitations, despite manufacturer claims that the foods are even “deemed fit for human consumption.”

Arsenic in human food is limited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to 10 parts per billion in things like apple juice and drinking water. However, arsenic levels beyond this limit are allegedly found in Champion dog food products.

Heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and mercury are allegedly also found in Champion dog food. Mercury can cause serious damage to a dog’s body including its cardiovascular system, nervous system, kidneys, and digestive tract.

“Continued exposure [to mercury] can also injure the inner surfaces of the digestive tract and abdominal cavity, causing lesions and inflammation. There have also been reports of lesions in the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain), kidneys, and renal glands,” the Champion Petfoods class action reports.

The Acana, Orijen dog food class action states that cadmium, another heavy metal found in Champion dog food products, has been identified as a human carcinogen and can be damaging to pets. The heavy metal has been observed to cause anemia, liver disease, and nerve/brain damage in pets who ingest cadmium through food or drink.

Vado also claims that Champion dog food products contain Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an industrial chemical which has been shown to interfere with the “production, secretion, transport, action, function and elimination of natural hormones.” The chemical may also be linked to serious health conditions including reproductive disorders, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological issues.

Despite their products allegedly containing dangerous substances, the manufacturer of Acana and Orijen dog food continues to portray their products as healthy. Vado aims to hold the manufacturer accountable for their allegedly deceptive representations which harm consumer pets.

Vado seeks to represent a Class of California consumers who purchased one or more of the Champion Petfoods products under the brands Acana or Orijen since July 1, 2013.

The Champion dog food class action lawsuit seeks declaratory relief, injunctive relief, restitution, disgorgement, actual damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Acana, Orijen dog food class action was originally filed in California Superior Court, but the case was removed to federal court on Nov. 21.

Vado and the proposed Class are represented by Jeffery R. Krinsk and Joshua C. Anaya of Finkelstein & Krinsk LLP; and Mark L. Knutson of Law Offices of Mark L. Knutson APC.

The Acana, Orijen Toxic Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit is Vado v. Champion Pet Foods USA Inc., et al., Case No. 3:18-cv-07118-JCS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.