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On Monday, a class action lawsuit accusing Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc. of failing to disclose the presence of dangerous substances in its pet food products was filed in California federal court.
Plaintiff Vladi Zakinov of California claims he purchased Blue Buffalo dog food as the primary food source for his 4-year-old dog named Coco. According to the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit, Coco experienced kidney disease and eventual kidney failure from consuming the contaminated dog food.
Blue Buffalo products named in the contaminated dog food class action lawsuit include Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, Blue Freedom Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Small Breed Adult Dogs, and Blue Basics Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe for Adult Dogs.
According to the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit, these dog food products contain significant levels of lead, a carcinogen that can cause serious health problems.
“Exposure to lead in food builds up over time,” the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit says. “Buildup can and has been scientifically demonstrated to lead to the development of chronic poisoning, cancer, developmental, and reproductive disorders, as well as serious injuries to the nervous system, and other organs and body systems.”
Zakinov claims that Blue Buffalo advertised and sold dog food products without warning consumers that they contain lead, and that lead exposure over time can cause poisoning, injury and/or disease to occur.
On the contrary, Blue Buffalo advertises its products as healthy and safe, claiming the dog foods contain “a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists,” according to the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit. The bags of dog food also allegedly declare the products to be “healthy” and “holistic.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth, as the Contaminated Dog Foods’ inclusion of an unsafe amount of lead creates a health hazard for dogs” the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit says. Zakinov claims he spent a significant amount of money on Blue Buffalo dog food and on treatments for his dog Coco.
Zakinov asserts that a reasonable customer would not have any reason to expect the products contain lead because Blue Buffalo pet food is labeled as healthy and holistic. Based on these representations, consumers reasonably expect the dog food to be healthy and safe for their pets to consume over time. The plaintiff says he would not have purchased Blue Buffalo dog food if he had known the products contained an excessive amount of lead.
Zakinov filed the Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a nationwide Class of consumers who purchased the allegedly contaminated Blue Buffalo dog food since July 1, 2013. He also seeks to represent a California subclass.
The Blue Buffalo class action lawsuit asserts claims for negligent misrepresentation, violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California’s False Advertising Law, California’s Unfair Competition Law, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty and negligence per se.
Zakinov is represented by Brian J. Robbins, Kevin A. Seely, Ashley R. Rifkin and Steven M. McKany of Robbins Arroyo LLP and by Rebecca A. Peterson and Robert K. Shelquist of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP.
The Blue Buffalo Contaminated Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit is Vladi Zakinov v. Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc., Case No. 3:17-cv-01301-AJB-WVG, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
UPDATE: The Blue Buffalo Contaminated Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on March 22, 2018.
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221 thoughts onBlue Buffalo Class Action Says Dog Food Is Contaminated with Lead
How do I join this lawsuit?
Has anyone investigated Blue Wilderness line of cat food?
Been feeding my dogs Blue Buffalo pretty much their entire lives. My cockatoo has recently developed a large growth on her neck. Possibly from the food!? Anyone know how to join this lawsuit?
I just tonight filed a claim. Didn’t see this site until after I filed. My Weimaraner has been eating Blue Buffalo Chicken no grain dry food and Blue Buffalo chicken stew canned food over 7 years. Last week he became ill vomiting and very lethargic. I took him to his regular vet. He checked out okay but had a 10 pound weight loss. Blood work was drawn. Two days later his vet called and instructed me his liver enzymes were extremely elevated and to take him to the ER. At the ER his blood was drawn again and he had a bedside ultrasound. He went home with liver meds. The next morning he was admitted through ER again for another thorough ultrasound, stayed 3 days having had a multi-lobed liver biopsy. He was discharged with more liver meds and we await the pathologist report for a diagnosis and the report of lead level. All of this costs just under $5,000.00.That’s a fortune for SS and a very small pension; its more than a month income. Nothing like the woman with a $40,000.00 vet bill. But there are more costs to come and my dog is in pain from surgery….I am angry he has to suffer.
Does anyone know how to join this claim? I’ve been feeding my lab Blue Buffalo food since November of 2016 and he’s been pretty lethargic the last few months, we finally switched to a different food and there has been a noticeable improvement.
I have been feeding my dog Blue Buffalo since she was a puppy. She is now 5 1/2 years old and seemed fine until a few weeks ago.
Just overnight she became very ill and had to be hospitalized for two weeks ($40,000) later. Her blood count dropped to 13 (normal is 40). She had to have 8 transfusions, and 2 plasmapheresis therapy treatments just to get her blood back up and it was only 18. They have diagnosed her with IMHA (Immune Mediated hemolytic anemia).
It has only been three weeks and her blood is still low but stable.
She is currently on Steroids, Immunosuppressants, blood thinners, and antibiotics and needs to get weekly blood tests (medications alone are costing $300 a week). I am being told that she will need to continue these medications for at least 4 – 6 months and may need to be on them even longer or lifetime.
I am just learning that they have found traces of LEAD in the Blue Buffalo food and there is a class action suit in California. The first thing the vet asked me was “Could your dog have swallowed poison”?
I have immediately stopped feeding her this dry food and am researching to see how many other pets have become severely ill.
The exact same thing happened to my dog last June. He unfortunately passed away …
Hello,
I’ve read a few different posts in regards to Blue having lead in their food. I was concerned because my 11 year old doxie has been eating Blue her entire life. Within the last 5 years she has only eaten the Basics, Grain Free, Turkey and Potato. In the past 3 years her liver levels have been elevated one time but we were able to get them down. Now with her being older this had me very worried so I paid the vet to have her tested for lead.
They sent the test to a lab and it came back negative. My vet told me anything over 30 and we would take the next steps. Her results came back at a 1.
So I wanted to share because my dogs are my life and my babies. My advice is if youre worried about it, have your dog tested to make sure. I know this is a year later that I found this article but for me it was better safe than sorry. So I came to the conclusion that the shipments of food in my location deem to be safe being that my dog has been eating only this brand and type of food, twice a day, for the last 5 years. My two year old pup has also only eaten this brand his entire life and he has had no issues as of yet. I hope this helps others.
I haven’t heard anything more on this either
Where/how do you file a claim under the Blue Buffalo law suit?
If this was done for dogs, didn’t tgey do it to cats too. My cat was on it for a year or so young. Developed severe health issues so switched by a vet. Now permanent issues! Someone needs to sue for all the cats they killed and damaged!