Orijen, Acana Class Action Says Dog Food Contains Lead, Mercury

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Earlier this week, Champion Petfoods USA Inc. and Champion Petfoods LP were hit with a class action lawsuit alleging its Orijen and Acana dog food products contain excessive levels of harmful heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.

Plaintiff Lisa Hodge says Champion’s packaging of Orijen and Acana dog food products state that they are “Biologically Appropriate” and contain “fresh, regional ingredients.”

Additionally, the packaging allegedly represents that Orijen dog food “features FRESH, RAW or DEHYDRATED ingredients, from minimally processed poultry, fish and eggs that are deemed fit for human consumption prior to inclusion in our foods.”

Hodge says a 25-pound bag of Orijen dog food can cost $80 or more, a price tag that is reportedly up to four times the price of its competitors.

She says she purchased Orijen dry dog food products in June 2016 because she believed they were a healthy, quality products for her dog. She would not have purchased the Orijen products or would not have paid as much for them if she were aware of the excessively high levels of toxic heavy metals in the dog food, the Orijen class action lawsuit says.

According to the Acana class action lawsuit, Champion touts its dog food as “The World’s Best Petfood.” It sells its dry dog food products throughout the United States under the Orijen and Acana brands.

Hodge says the packaging of Acana dog food is similar to that of Orijen. “For example, the package for one variety of Acana dry dog food states that the product is ‘bursting with richly nourishing meat and protein from free-run chicken, whole, nest-laid eggs and wild-caught flounder — all delivered fresh from our region so they’re loaded with goodness and taste,’ further boasting that all content is ‘from poultry, fish and eggs passed fit for human consumption.’”

The Champion Dog Food class action lawsuit points to a white paper reportedly published by Champion which show that its dog food products contain concentrations of heavy metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury that are “excessive,” “dangerous,” and toxic to dogs.

Dogs who experience poisoning by these heavy metals may experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, abdominal pain, lethargy, seizures, loss of consciousness, blood in feces, hysteria, blindness, and/or death.

“Heavy metals tend to accumulate in dogs and other animals, so long-term exposure to even small quantities of heavy metals can cause deleterious health effects,” the Orijen class action lawsuit says.

Hodge filed the Orijen class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and a proposed Class of consumers who purchased a Champion dry dog food product not for resale in the state of Ohio.

The Champion dog food class action lawsuit asserts claims for breach of express warranty, violation of the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act, breach of implied warranty, fraudulent omission and unjust enrichment.

A similar Orijen class action lawsuit was filed last month in Wisconsin federal court.

Hodge is represented by Richard S. Wayne, Joseph J. Braun and Christopher S. Houston of Strauss Troy; Ben Barnow and Erich P. Schorck of Barnow and Associates PC; and Phyllis E. Brown and Adam S. Brown of Brown Law Firm LLC.

The Champion Pet Foods Class Action Lawsuit is  Lisa Hodge v. Champion Petfoods USA Inc., et al., Case No. 1:18-cv-00248-TSB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division.