Why Are Pet Owners Filing Nature’s Recipe Lawsuits?

A recent class action lawsuit alleges that Nature’s Recipe dog food — which was advertised to be healthier for certain pets — could actually harm them.

Eight plaintiffs filed the class action against Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. in the Northern District of California in June 2019 claiming that the brand falsely advertised Nature’s Recipe dog food as being grain free, despite containing both corn and soy.

What Is Nature’s Recipe?

Nature’s Recipe is a brand of dog food distributed throughout the country and manufactured by San Francisco-based company Big Heart Pet Brands. The company is owned by parent organization The J.M. Smucker Company, which also produces several other pet food brands.

The brand promotes its products as offering particular health benefits to dogs that experience certain sensitivities or conditions and offers “recipes” to promote healthy skin as well as for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Nature’s Recipe also has a line of grain free dog foods, purporting them to be appropriate for dogs allergic to grain ingredients, although plaintiffs in the class action allege that independent testing revealed that the products do, in fact, contain grain.

Why Are Pet Owners Suing?

A number of Nature’s Recipe products are advertised specifically as being “grain free.” The dog food is also packaged accordingly with the words “grain free” displayed in large letters on each bag.

Although Nature’s Recipe markets several of its products as not containing grain, corn, or wheat, the plaintiffs in the Big Heart Pet Brands false advertising lawsuit claim that independent testing evidenced that the food contained a significant amount of corn and soy. Plaintiffs say they were charged a premium for the dog food which they wouldn’t have purchased had they known it contained grain ingredients.

According to Petmd.com, some dogs have food allergies that can cause them to suffer reactions from certain ingredients, such as grains. A dog with a grain allergy can exhibit symptoms including itching or scratching, licking, and fur loss as well as suffer from gastrointestinal issues. Two of the plaintiffs in the false advertising class action specifically allege their dogs experienced physical symptoms that are typically associated with allergies.

What Are the Alleged False Advertising Claims?

Plaintiffs allege in the false advertising lawsuit that Big Heart Pet Brands misled them into purchasing Nature’s Recipe products by making false statements of fact and engaging in deceptive practices which allowed them “to collect a premium from unsuspecting consumers.”

Nature’s Recipe dog food made representations about the food being free from grain ingredients that plaintiffs say they relied upon when making their purchases. Plaintiffs argue they were willing to pay more for a grain free food to suit their dog’s needs and would not have bought the dog food, but for Big Heart’s marketing and advertising that the product was “grain free” and “soy protein free.” The complaint makes specific mention of Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Easy to Digest Salmon Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe violating false advertising laws.

Plaintiffs raised several false advertising claims in the lawsuit in addition to breach of warranty of merchantability, breach of express warranty as well as violations of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the consumer protection laws of several states.

Despite Big Heart Pet Brand making a motion to dismiss, a California federal judge ruled that the dog food lawsuit could proceed on most of the claims— including the false advertising claims.

Is There a Nature’s Recipe Dog Food Recall?

There is currently no Nature’s Recipe dog food recall or Big Heart Pet Brands recall. However, pet owners might take note that Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken was subject to a voluntary recall in 2012 related to potential salmonella contamination, according to dogfoodadvisor.com.

Pet food recalls are not uncommon and owners should be mindful of them to ensure their pets are safe — according to petful.com, there were 11 caution letters or recalls for dog foods manufactured by various brands in 2019 alone.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have to give pre-market approval for pet food products, the agency must ensure that the ingredients are safe and appropriate. FDA regulations state that pet food recalls may be voluntary, ordered under the FDA’s authority, or by FDA request.

Who Can File a Nature’s Recipe False Advertising Lawsuit?

Consumers who unknowingly purchased a dog food and relied on the company’s representation that it was grain free may be entitled to monetary compensation — a pet owner should speak with a lawyer for false advertising if their dog suffered an allergic reaction to a product containing grain when the packaging advertised otherwise. A lawyer who knows how to report false advertising law violations and handles class actions can explain your legal rights and remedies.

Consumers who were affected by a Nature’s Recipe dog food product that they purchased believing it was grain free, might be eligible to join the Big Heart Pet Brands class action lawsuit to recover the compensation to which they’re entitled in a class action settlement.

The Big Heart Pet Brands Class Action Lawsuit is Rice-Sherman, et al. v. Big Heart Pet Brands Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-03613, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Free Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Dog Food Claim Evaluation

If you live in California and purchased Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Easy to Digest Salmon Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dog Food, you may be eligible to participate in a free class action lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.