The Farmer’s Dog sued over alleged excessive fat levels in dog food

By Top Class Actions | May 20, 2026

Category: False Advertising

Hungry fluffy mixed breed dog eating — (Photo Credit: Maria Sbytova/Shutterstock)

The Farmer’s Dog class action lawsuit overview:

Who: Plaintiff Amy Trott filed a class action lawsuit against The Farmer’s Dog Inc.
Why: Trott claims The Farmer’s Dog falsely marketed its dog food as healthy and balanced despite alleged excessive fat levels that may increase the risk of pancreatitis.
Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

A new class action lawsuit accuses The Farmer’s Dog of misleading consumers by marketing its dog food as healthy, balanced and personalized despite allegedly containing dangerously high fat levels.

Plaintiff Amy Trott claims The Farmer’s Dog promotes its subscription-based dog food as “fresh,” “human grade,” “healthy,” “balanced” and “clinically proven nutrition” while concealing material information about the products’ fat content and associated health risks.

According to the complaint, consumers are asked to enter information about their dogs — including breed, age and weight — and are then presented with “recommended” meal plans allegedly formulated by veterinary nutritionists. The class action lawsuit claims consumers reasonably believe the recommended food is safe and appropriate for their pets’ nutritional needs.

Trott alleges several of the company’s recipes contain fat levels substantially higher than what is typically recommended for most dogs.

The complaint includes a chart comparing the fat content of The Farmer’s Dog recipes, alleging some products contain more than 25% fat on a dry matter basis and more than 40% fat based on metabolizable energy, levels the lawsuit claims are associated with increased pancreatitis risk.

“Defendant’s recommended dog food formulations are grossly out of line with nutritional needs of such dogs because they contain excessive levels of fat that can cause serious medical issues,” the class action lawsuit says.

The Farmer’s Dog should have known about pancreatitis risk, class action claims

The class action lawsuit claims high-fat diets have been linked to pancreatitis in dogs and alleges The Farmer’s Dog failed to warn consumers about the potential risks associated with its products.

According to the complaint, some dog breeds are more susceptible to pancreatitis, yet the company’s registration process allegedly does not ask consumers whether their dogs are predisposed to the condition or modify recommendations accordingly.

Trott further alleges The Farmer’s Dog knew about concerns regarding fat levels and pancreatitis risks based on online complaints and a 2021 article published on the company’s own website discussing pancreatitis in dogs.

The class action lawsuit claims The Farmer’s Dog uses high fat levels to make its food more palatable and calorie-dense while lowering ingredient costs.

Trott says she purchased 14 days of The Farmer’s Dog food in June 2025 after seeing Facebook advertisements describing the products as nutritious and healthy. She alleges she would not have purchased the food, or would have paid less for it, had she known about the alleged risks and fat levels.

The complaint asserts claims for breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, fraud and violations of New Hampshire consumer protection law.

Trott seeks to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased The Farmer’s Dog products, along with a New Hampshire subclass.

In 2025, a consumer sued Post Holdings Inc., alleging it falsely advertised its Nature’s Recipe dog food as free from artificial preservatives.

What do you think about these claims against The Farmer’s Dog? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Michael M. Weinkowitz, Daniel C. Levin and Nicholas J. Elia of Levin Sedran & Berman LLP and D. Aaron Rihn and Sara Watkins of Robert Peirce & Associates.

The Farmer’s Dog class action lawsuit is Trott v. The Farmer’s Dog Inc., Case No. 1:26-cv-03410, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.