Petco sued over ‘grain-free’ dog food allegedly causing heart disease

Petco class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Mina Maiman sued Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc.
• Why: Maiman claims Petco falsely advertises its WholeHearted grain-free dog food products as healthy.
• Where: The Petco class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

A new class action lawsuit accuses Petco Health and Wellness of falsely advertising its WholeHearted grain-free dog food products as healthy.

Plaintiff Mina Maiman filed the class action complaint against Petco on March 16 in New York federal court, alleging violations of state consumer laws.

According to the class action lawsuit, Petco sells millions of dollars of grain-free dog food under the WholeHearted brand, which is marketed as providing “complete nutrition” and “maximum benefits.”

However, the products are not nutritionally balanced and can actually be harmful to dogs, Maiman alleges.

The plaintiff says she bought the grain-free products for her dog, Oskar, because she believed they were healthier than other options. However, Oskar developed heart disease and died after consuming the food, she says.

Petco misled consumers into paying a premium for the grain-free products, which lack critical nutrients and can cause health problems, the lawsuit alleges.

Class action cites studies linking grain-free diets to heart issues in dogs

The class action lawsuit claims that grain-free dog food has become popular in recent years as pet owners seek to feed their dogs more sustainable and healthful diets. However, the elimination of grains can lead to nutritional deficiencies and increase the risk of heart disease, it says.

The lawsuit cites multiple studies linking grain-free diets to heart problems in dogs, including one that found dogs switched to a grain-free diet with a high inclusion of peas and lentils showed signs of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) within 30 days.

Despite this evidence, Petco continues to market its grain-free products as healthy and does not include any warnings about the potential risks, the class action alleges.

Maiman seeks to represent anyone in the United States who bought the grain-free products. She is suing for violations of state consumer laws and seeks certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

In a separate class action, Petco was recently sued over allegations it failed to properly secure consumers’ personal information, leading to a data breach earlier this year.

What do you think of the allegations made in this Petco class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Blake Hunter Yagman of Yagman PLLC.

The Petco class action lawsuit is Maiman v. Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc., Case No. 1:26-cv-01520, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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