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Nestle Purina Petcare Company was hit with a class action lawsuit alleging that its Beneful dog food includes toxic substances which are capable of killing dogs.
According to the Beneful class action lawsuit filed in a California federal court by plaintiff Frank Lucido on Feb. 5, Beneful is responsible for making thousands of dogs either seriously ill or causing them to die, which happened to one of his own dogs.
Lucido owned three dogs — a German Shepherd, an English Bulldog and a Labrador. He bought a bag of Beneful for the first time in late December 2014 or early January 2015 and each dog began eating Beneful exclusively, the Beneful class action lawsuit explains.
On Jan. 15, the German Shepherd began to lose a large amount of hair and began giving off a unusual odor, which concerned Lucido and his wife, who first started to notice the symptoms. Two days later the German Shepherd became “violently ill.”
After being examined by a veterinarian, it was determined that the German Shepherd was suffering from internal bleeding in the dog’s stomach and the liver was also malfunctioning, which the veterinarian said was “consistent with poisoning.”
On Jan. 23, Lucido’s wife found the English Bulldog dead in their yard. “Post-mortem veterinary examination revealed signs of internal bleeding in the dog’s stomach and lesions on his liver, much like [the German Shepherd],” the class action lawsuit claims.
The Labrador also became ill and is being tested for similar problems.
Lucido claims that he and his wife “have suffered economic losses including the purchase price of Beneful and veterinary and related medical expenses” as result of the damage Beneful has done to their dogs.
According to the Beneful class action lawsuit, there have been more than 3,000 complaints posted by dog owners on the internet “about dogs becoming ill, in many cases very seriously ill, and/or dying after eating Beneful.
“The dogs show consistent symptoms, including stomach and related internal bleeding, liver malfunction or failure, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, seizures, bloating, and kidney failure,” the Beneful toxic dog food class action lawsuit alleges.
Lucido gives several examples of these complaints by other dog owners.
According to Lucido, Beneful is advertised as a healthful and nutritional dog food, but his experience and others has been the opposite.
Beneful dog foods allegedly include propylene glycol, which is “an automotive component that is a known animal toxin and is poisonous to cats and dogs.”
In addition, the Beneful class action lawsuit alleges that the dog food includes mycotoxins, which are “a group of toxins produced by fungus that occurs in grains, which are a principle ingredient in Beneful.”
The class action lawsuit cites the Association for Truth In Pet Food, which tested “Beneful Original and found that it contained dangerous levels of mycotoxins.”
Lucido is looking to represent two classes — a nationwide class and a California subclass for dog owners “who purchased Beneful dog food in the past four years and who incurred any out of pocket costs due to illness, injury or death of their dog resulting from the ingestion of Beneful.”
The Beneful toxic dog food class action lawsuit is charging Nestle Purina with breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, strict products liability, violating California’s consumer legal remedies act, violating California’s Unfair Competition Law, and violating California’s False Advertising Law.
The plaintiff is represented by Jeffrey B. Cereghino of Ram, Olson, Cereghino & Kopcyzynski, by John Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group, by Karl Molineux of Merrill, Nomura & Molineux, and by Donna F. Solen of Kimbrell Kimbrell & Solen LLC.
The Beneful Toxic Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit is Frank Lucido v. Nesltle Purina Petcare Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
UPDATE: On Nov. 17, 2016, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen granted summary judgment to Purina, rejecting testimony from the plaintiffs’ expert that suggested Beneful dog food was the direct cause of their dogs’ illnesses or deaths.
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448 thoughts onPurina Beneful Dog Food Kills Dogs, Class Action Says
Just would like to know how to join the lawsuit if possible…
I stopped using it cause every time he would eat it he get bloated & just want lay around would throw-up brown stuff so i dont rec amend this dog food
My parents lost their sweet 5 year old Collie in March of 2013 after eating Purina Beneful. He had severe vomiting and diarrhea for a few days and then started drinking water excessively. He died in their bedroom that night. My parents were devastated!! They are elderly and this collie was their life. They lost a dear family member like many of you. I contacted Purina and some Consumer Websites at that time but it obviously did not stop them from continuing to make this deadly product. I told everyone I knew via emails and Facebook. We need to continue to do everything we can to get this deadly dog food off the market before more family pets get sick or die. I will call the number you provided, thanks for sharing this important information.
I fed three of my dogs beneful, my beautiful 8 yr old Chinese Crested Moby boy died a year ago this month, I love dogs, but never have I had such a bond he was my life, my son, I couldn’t imagine life without him, I rescued him at 7 month’s old, and fell in love immediately, he was alway’s in my lap loved to ride, and he slept in my arms every single night, he was very active loved to play and never ever wad sick until 2 nights before he died, he was just laying around wouldn’t eat, or drink, I sent my husband for some pedialite, he wouldn’t drink it, I would talk to him and his ears didn’t move he wouldn’t even look at me, I layed with my arm around him and called the vet the next morning, they said it sounded like a kidney infection and to bring him in the next day, that night I lay bedside him until 10:30 and I got up and said we are going to the vet right now, the vet met us there, he did blood work and an x-Ray, he said you have a very sick little boy here, he was jaundiced, he said liver failure, and and it’s just to far gone, I just lost it, he went to sleep in my arms and we sent our lil’ boy to heaven, I never imagined he wouldn’t be coming home with us, I ask the vet why didn’t I see any signs? He said once they get sick with liver cancer they die usually within days, and to think I had decided to buy a better quality food for him and he never even got to eat it, I wished I could have gotten that second chance, how I miss him! He was my best friend! I had rescued Moby’s sister Bella about 8 months after him, when they were about 3 they both had fatty tissue on their side and said nothing to worry about, Moby’s never gotten any bigger, but Bella started gaining weight and we just couldn’t get it off her, I noticed every once in awhile she would chew on he’d legs nd feet for days, she had to have bladder stone surgery and now has a thyroid condition, and went through a period of runny poop some days 6 runny poops then back to normal, she developed a cyst on her leg a year ago, it was removed a few months ago and now 3 more cyst, I wondered why she started laying around at age 4 she never had any energy, she probably won’t live long, she is the sweetest, this hurts me so much, my husband and I realized our first lil’ girl Chinese Crested Enya no relation to Moby or Bella, we got her at age 4 months, the vet recommended beneful said it was affordable and healthy, after a month I woke up one morning and she had slept with me, I heard rustling and saw Enya on the floor at the end of the bed having a seizure, I called my husband I was hysterical, she was fine soon after, and about 3weeks later she had another, so the vet said let us know if she has them closer together she did a couple of months later so the vet put her on seizure meds and valium, at 7month’s she was having more so the vet said if she has more than 1 a day bring her in, she started having runny poop and she wad trained but she wad doing it all over the house, and acting strange, like jump on the bed jump off over and over again I wad like what is happening! Well every time they have a seizure the brain swells so if they are having them all the time they can’t think straight and will do weird things, so a month later my husband and I came home, she was having a seizure don’t know how many she already had but I wrapped her in my arms and she had 11 more, it was just heartbreaking, so right when the vet opened we took her in, and he said having so many in a row and the brain swelling well she would never be the same, I hadn’t even had her very long but I grieved to the point my husband got me Moby and I didn’t think I would want to get another doggie so soon and after having him thought how I would have truly my missed out on the sweetest most loving loyal lil’ boy I have ever known, I knew I was so lucky to be his momma, and to know I fed my three baby’s poison, just kills me, my heart is broken, I feel like I need psychiatric help, I can’t stop crying, and thinking what they took from me, I will never ever be the same! I can’t understand why anyone would continue to feed their baby’s beneful after reading these heartbreaking stories! My heart goes out to you all, bless you all.
Hi Renee, It’s me Janette Ann Gerace, my post says Ann Gerace up top. I read your story. its over 2+ years not since I Lost my 8 year old Great Danes to Purina/Beneful Dog food. Your lighter a mirror into my soul. I cant get over them suffering.I fed them this Damn dog food. I tell everyone that asks what happened, exactly what happened. I am still with son, alone. I have never been without a Dog or horse in my life.My birthday and holidays dont exist. When I see people in the store(walmart) and any other place that sells this Devil Food, It just kills me and brings back the tears and bad memories. When does it end? Hopefully my creep of an ex of 35 years pays me the 50000 he owes me, and his pension is supposed to start soon. I must let my son have his privacy back. Ive never been a burden to anyone. Started to work at 13 in Callifornia where I am from had to support my horses and dogs. Plus had a 67 Camaro My Dad was helping me restore for racing. I grew up young and fast. I just believed in being responsible for myself. Came from a beautiful wonderful family. Camping,BBQ every weekend, Poker on Friday and Saturday night which my elderly Grandma was the lead of.Motorcycles,Horses, Fishing,Rodeos,Horse Shows, God gave me 2 extra ribs:) One from a Horse, and another one from a Dog. I know sounds insane. I am just a usually very happy easygoing person but I have no one to be there except for my son. and with no car, now no phone, my sister for some reason in Washington, about a year ago she met this woman after losing her husband of over 40 years, well I always kept in touch with her, I am stuck in NY. Well we were always talking about when I got my alimony going and now my pension, and my Mom’s house in Calif. sold for taxes, I Lost her5 years ago. So finally after all the bad bad times I have been going through, My sister and I will get a very small settlement as the atty had to have his 33%.Plus my Brother gets a third also. Well back to my sister. This new older then her woman has invaded her life, I dont know this woman, but do know that all of a sudden my sister wants to commit Suicide, She has a wonderful home,, 3 little doxies, and the drs wont let her be alone so this woman has became my Sisters leader. She never talked like this. Her last to Aol messages because she shut off my phone she had gotten for me. And the wording in both of them is not my sister of 64 years!! I am so afraid she will actually do it. She has always bragged about all of her friends of 40 years. And found a new nice man, the Pastor that lives in the neighborhood, has been a big kind companion in her life. I guess she wont have a “relationship”. He’s just a real real big friend.’I am so afraid after just telling me to leave her and this Sandie character alone that this woman has managed to get into my sisters mind, life,house, who’s to know.
I supposedly have Power of Atty that she changed into my name about 8 months ago. Another strange thing, but I am all she has or had left. How do I find out how she is? Who this woman is? I am so afraid that my next call from Kennewick Washington will be from the Atty. saying that she finally followed through on her “suicide” attempts. She is having health problems. 2 bad ankle surgeries, bad big surgery on her spine/Neck all within the past 8 months. There is a pattern,, but to tell me to leave her alone. To cancel my phone and blocked me online that this Sandie person is helping her. She was supposed to be admitted into a psychiatric hospital 2 weeks ago. they took all of their meds from her.
I apologize ffor pouring all of my life on you.
Hopefully you are doing okay? Did you get another companion? How are things going on in your life? I felt such a real link reading your letter too on the Purina lawsuit. After reading others, it is so darn sad. There was a guy online with a video of him opening his doggies kibbel from Purina and they were all full of maggots from fly larvae Yecccchhhh. The worse thing in the world too. Imagine those poor doggies digesting that but I think his dogs were helped fast enough. Well am going to try to go to sleep. Dont sleep well lately. take so much meds for my bad health issues. Crohns Disease, Diabetes 40 years, Fibromyalgia, Inner Ear problems when I lay down. dizziness, have gotten sick from carsickness all of my 50+ years. Heart problems, Blood clots too easy so take Warfarin for that. have to have blood checked every week, but dont have a car to do it.Thyroid. If I take 27 pills, then why am I still on this earth. and why dont they work, and How do they work, as knowing where the right place to go in my tummy! I have asked Drs for all these years and they wont tell me cause they dont know. Ive had 12 surgeries. My body looks like a landmine hit me.Take care, blessing from NY
Both of my dogs have used Beneful for quit some time. I just bought a new bag about 2 weeks ago. When I put the food down about 2 days later both of my dogs were seriously ill. I’m now in and put of the vet. Both are on strong medications to stop their vomiting and diahreah. And they have been running Temps of 103.4. Which for dogs is extremely high (that’s what the vet told me himself). I’m so mad this food is still on the shelves. I truly believe it’s a bad batch that haa gotten out on the shelves. I’ve used it for the last 2 years without a problem. Now we are waiting on blood work to determine if they have liver damage or failure. My dogs are my world and I’m completely devestated over this
I have read a lot of the posts regarding this product. I had been feeding my yorkie the kibble variety of dog food Beneful for the last couple of months. I had not heard of this lawsuit until after the fact. About 2 weeks ago my Sammy started throwing up constantly. It appears that Yorkshire Terriers are more susceptible to whatever is in this food. After many Dr. appointments, 2.5 days in the hospital he is healthy. I am a paraplegic and got him after I got out of the hospital from a motorcycle accident 12 years ago. We are attached at the hip and I was so scared I would lose my best friend. I am not looking for money, I want to join the lawsuit for the principle of our most sacred friends. How could a company that professes to feed our animals to grow healthy not recall this product? It is unconscionable and I want to get my story out too. I was very lucky to have excellent healthcare. a Care Credit Card and ASPCA pet insurance that covered 90% of the 3,500 cost. I know that many would really have to question healthcare costs for their pets and make tough decisions based on finances. I feel blessed that we caught it in time.
I have looked everywhere on this site and cant find where you can sign up for the Beniful class action suit. Does anybody know??
Our beagle was eating beneful, and started getting a growth by its liver-it died-stomach bleeding(cold have been the tumor ruptured. Vomited blood and pooped blood. Finally, required to be put down humanely. She was eating both dry and wet beneful. HOW DO YOU JOIN THE LAWSUIT?!!? No one tells you.
Ok ive fed my dog beneful for years and when she got so sick she almost died at first i didnt change the food and she didnt get much better till i changed to iams so basically i just heard of this lawsuit and would like to join how do i do this??? Stranjness@gmail.com
We lost our Boxer, Hustler, in 2012 and we feed him Beneful Fiesta and Original his whole life. He was 9 years old. We had noticed that he had lost a good amount of weight but we just thought it was from the change in food. One night he was acting sluggish and started throwing up what looked like bile. We noticed that he couldnt really stand up well and had a bloated stomach. We rushed him to the vet after-hours and they ran some tests. While there they stuck a needle into his stomach to see what the fluid was that was causing the bloating. They pulled out a full syringe of blood out of his abdomen. By the time we found out he was so sick that we had no choice but to put him down to take the pain away. We miss him everyday.