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Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging it fails to disclose that its Gravy Train dog food products contain pentobarbital and can be toxic to dogs.
According to plaintiff Nancy Sturm, the following Big Heart Pet Brands products contain pentobarbital, a barbiturate drug that is used as a sedative and anesthetic for animals:
- Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with Beef Chunks
- Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with T-Bone Flavor Chunks
- Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with Chicken Chunks
- Gravy Train Strips in Gravy Beef Strips
- Gravy Train with Lamb & Rice Chunks
The Gravy Train class action lawsuit notes that pentobarbital is most commonly used in the euthanization of cats and dogs.
“Pentobarbital is a Class II controlled substance, and there is no safe or set level for pentobarbital in pet food,” the Gravy Train class action lawsuit says. “If it is present, the food is adulterated.”
A pet that ingests pentobarbital may experience adverse health effects such as salivation, vomiting, stool changes, decreased appetite, lethargy, neurologic abnormalities, difficulty walking, collapse, coma and/or death.
Sturm suggests that the pentobarbital contained in Gravy Train dog food may have gotten into the product because the food is made from rendered animal products.
“Rendered products come from a process that converts animal tissues into feed ingredients, including tissues from animals that were euthanized, decomposed or diseased,” the Gravy Train class action lawsuit says. “Pentobarbital from euthanized animals survives the rendering process and could be present in the rendered feed ingredients used in pet food.”
According to Sturm, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not taken aggressive action against pet food companies that use non-slaughtered animals. Therefore, pet food manufacturers have continued to use animals that have not been slaughtered and which may include poisonous substances like pentobarbital, which end up in their pet foods.
On Feb. 8, ABC network affiliate WJLA in Washington, D.C., reported that an independent investigation determined that Gravy Train dog food products contained pentobarbital. According to the Gravy Train class action lawsuit, Gravy Train was the only brand of pet food that tested positive for pentobarbital.
The WJLA report noted that pentobarbital is not used on farm animals; it is only used to euthanize dogs, cats, and horses.
Days after the report was released, Big Heart Pet Brands reportedly voluntarily withdrew more than two dozen products from the market. The FDA subsequently issued an alert about the voluntary withdrawal of these products, stating: “The FDA’s preliminary evaluation of the testing results of Gravy Train samples indicates that the low level of pentobarbital present in the withdrawn products is unlikely to pose a health risk to pets.”
“However,” the FDA said, “pentobarbital should never be present in pet food and products containing any amount of pentobarbital are considered to be adulterated.”
Sturm filed the Gravy Train class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and a proposed Class of U.S. consumers who purchased the contaminated Gravy Train products for household or business use since Feb. 1, 2008. She also seeks to certify a Class of Illinois consumers.
A similar Gravy Train class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court earlier this month.
Sturm is represented by Rebecca A. Peterson and Robert K. Shelquist of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP.
The Gravy Train Poisonous Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit is Nancy Sturm v. Big Heart Pet Brands Inc., Case No. 3:18-cv-01099-GSC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division.
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94 thoughts onGravy Train Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Dog Food Is Poisonous
How do I file a claim against gravy train my dog is about to die and all she has eat was gravy train
I just had 2 dogs I had to put down today.
One collapsed last night and they urinated and pooped themselves.
The vet said the symptoms are those of an animal that has ate eaten something toxic.
They had only eaten gravy train.
My dog died in January. Gravy Train was all she had eaten as I couldn’t afford the more expensive – but now I know they weren’t any better! I am so upset! She was my best friend in addition to being almost a service dog to me, helping me with my PTSD, anxiety, depression, and arthritis. Nothing can replace her – she was everything to me.
My dog died 1/2/18 out of the blue, Gravy train is all he ever ate , I still have the cans and I documented his death the day he died, weeks before knowing about the recall , I have notified Smuckers
I feed my Yorkie canned gravy train every day and he was sick for a while I wild put the can food in with the dry food because he liked the gravy. He Had gotten so he could not sit up or walk I finally had to have him put down.
please keep me posted about the gravy train lawsuit. Both my dogs were affected. My shit tzu is not doing well at all and i discontinued giving them the food a couple of months ago. the hard dog food needs to be pulled from the shelf as well
My dog passed away after eating this dog food. It causes kidney problems, and that’s what she died from.
I miss her so much.
thought he was just picky..now I understand Why dog didn’t want to eat it… gained so much weight also… Please add me or send Form .
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you ‘Follow’ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then ‘Follow’ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!
I have been trying to put on a claim Where do I need to go yo do that evettelock698@gmail.com
WOW…I was feeding my new puppy (rottweiler/husky) this JUST LAST MONTH, & she was SSSOOOOO sick for 3 days. It was SOOOO bad that we thought she wasnt going to make it through it… i cried and prayed….couldnt afford a trip to vetrinarian….It was such a sad,scary,horrible ordeal…Im soooo glad i read this ad today…wow is all i can say
cont…..
p.s: plz add me to this list
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you ‘Follow’ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then ‘Follow’ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!
I had two of my dogs die in the past year after using this feed over the winter to add warmth is water to their food. Also to save a bit of money buying from Dollar store. Add me to the list, I’m very upset!
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you ‘Follow’ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then ‘Follow’ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!
omg I have been feeding this too my dogs for years oh plz add me
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you ‘Follow’ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then ‘Follow’ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!