No-Hide Dog Chews Contain Rawhide, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

A Georgia woman has filed a class action lawsuit in federal court claiming Earth Animal Ventures’ no-hide dog chews actually do contain rawhide.

Lead plaintiff Laura Beveridge says she purchased the alleged no-hide dog chews for her five-year-old dog from a pet products store in July 2017 and had previously purchased them from Amazon.

She says she had seen the defendants’ claims that the chews contained no hide, which she relied upon when making her decision to buy the dog treats.

Beveridge was unaware at the time that the no-hide dog chews contained rawhide, which, in turn, contains hormones, steroids and other chemicals and ingredients that don’t conform with the product packaging, according to the class action lawsuit. She maintains that she would not have purchased the no-hide dog chews had she known their true composition.

Earth Animal Ventures “intentionally omitted the presence of rawhide and the related contaminants and risks it causes in order to induce and mislead reasonable consumers” into paying a premium price for the product, the class action lawsuit says.

According to the class action lawsuit, Earth Animal Ventures’ no-hide dog chews are advertised as being a healthy alternative to traditional rawhide chews.

The packaging and marketing for the chews allegedly makes claims such as “easily digestible,” “100% human grade ingredients” and “no chemicals or additives.”

However, these claims are deceptive and untrue because the no-hide dog chews contain ingredients such as leather, rawhide, chemicals, steroids and hormones, the class action lawsuit maintains.

A recent study was conducted to blindly analyze “the histology of rawhide-containing and rawhide-free dog chews,” the class action lawsuit states. “According to Defendants, one of their products, a No-Hide chew, was included in the study and was found to contain rawhide, contrary to Defendants’ labeling claims that it was rawhide-free.”

According to Beveridge’s class action lawsuit, leather chemist Waldo Kallengerger analyzed two of Earth Animal Ventures’ no-hide dog chews in July 27, and concluded that “‘given the size, thickness, and physical structure of the ‘bone’ material in this ‘No-Hide’ product, the material is absolutely rawhide split material.’”

Kallenberger also concluded that materials of the size he analyzed “‘could only come from a large animal skin.’”

In contrast, the no-hide dog chews are advertised as consisting of “olive oil, brown rice flour, eggs, agar-agar, and naturally-derived enzymes from banana and pineapple (bromelain)” mixed with a protein flavor, the class action lawsuit says.

The company’s website states the chews are 80% digestible compared to standard rawhide chews, which the company claims are 18% digestible. 

Rawhide is dried animal skin “made from the leather industry’s leftovers” and often contains chemicals and additives such as hydrogen peroxide, arsenic, bleach and lead, Beveridge claims. Such additives are not “human grade” and can make it difficult for dogs to digest rawhide treats.

Beveridge maintains the defendants knew consumers would purchase the no-hide dog chews based on the promise that they were a healthy alternative to rawhide chews.

The class action lawsuit alleges the defendants are guilty of a number of offenses, including unfair trade practices, false advertising, breach of express and implied warranties, and unjust enrichment. They are also allegedly in violation of Pennsylvania and Connecticut law.

Unless the company is stopped, it will continue to injure customers through its misleading packaging and marketing, Beveridge’s class action lawsuit argues.

Beveridge demands a jury trial and asks the Court to stop the defendants from selling the alleged no-hide dog chews until rawhide and other ingredients are removed; to stop them from selling the chews by suggesting they are easily digestible and contain no chemicals or additives; to require the Earth Animal Ventures to launch a corrective ad campaign and recall products if necessary; and to award declaratory and injunctive relief stopping the defendants’ unlawful practices

She also seeks restitution and disgorgement, actual and statutory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and court costs, and any other relief the Court deems just.

Have you purchased no-hide dog chews only to find out they did contain rawhide? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Mark P. Kindall and Oren Faircloth of Izard, Kindall & Raabe LLP; Robert K. Shelquist and Rebecca A. Peterson of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP; and Kenneth Wexler, Kara Elgersma and Michelle Perkovic of Wexler Wallace LLP.

The No-Hide Dog Chews Class Action Lawsuit is Laura Beveridge, et al. v. Earth Animal Ventures Inc., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-01539, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

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