The FDA is alerting pet owners to a history of four recalls of and multiple complaints associated with Darwin’s Natural and ZooLogics pet foods, manufactured by Arrow Reliance Inc., dba Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, over the period from October 17, 2016 to February 10, 2018. In each instance, the company recalled these products after being alerted to positive findings of Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes in samples of their raw pet food products.

As part of an ongoing investigation into complaints associated with products manufactured by Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural of Tukwila, WA, the FDA has confirmed that new samples of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw pet foods have tested positive for Salmonella. These raw pet foods include ZooLogics Duck with Vegetable Meals for Dogs Lot #41957 and ZooLogics Chicken with Vegetable Meals for Dogs Lot #41567.

The latest recall was triggered by a complaint of an adult dog that had recurring diarrhea over a nine-month period. The dog tested positive for Salmonella from initial testing by the veterinarian and by follow-up testing by the FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN). The Darwin’s Natural raw pet food that the dog had been fed was also positive for Salmonella.

Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural is aware of the dog’s illness and the positive results and initiated a recall on February 10, 2018 by directly notifying its customers via email. The firm has not issued a public recall notice.

Since October 2016, Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural has initiated four recalls and had six reported complaints (some referring to more than one animal) associated with their raw pet food products, including the death of one kitten from a severe systemic Salmonella infection. The Salmonella isolated from the kitten was analyzed using whole genome sequencing and found to be indistinguishable from the Salmonella isolated from a closed package from the same lot of Darwin’s Natural cat food that the kitten ate.

In addition to reports of illnesses associated with Salmonella contamination in the products, the FDA is aware of complaints of at least three animals who were reportedly injured by bone shards in the Darwin’s Natural raw pet food products.

Since 2016, Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural has recalled the following raw pet food products:

• Darwin’s Natural Selections Duck with Organic Vegetables Meals for dogs, due to Salmonella
  Lot #40487, manufacture date 9/29/17, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 12/04/17
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Chicken with Organic Vegetables Meals for Dogs, due to Salmonella and Listeria Monocytogenes
  Lot #40727, manufacture date 9/26/17, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 12/04/17
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Turkey with Organic Vegetables Meals for Dogs, due to Salmonella
  Lot #39937, manufacture date 8/24/17 and Lot #40507, manufacture date 9/20/17, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 12/04/17
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Frozen Duck Meals for Cats, due to potential contamination with Salmonella
  Lot #38277, manufacture date 6/1/17, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 09/08/17
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Frozen Raw Beef with Organic Vegetables Meals for Dogs, due Listeria Monocytogenes
  Lot #3146070, manufacture date 7/21/16, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 10/17/16
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Frozen Raw Turkey with Organic Vegetables Meals for Dogs, due to Listeria Monocytogenes
  Lot #3142070, manufacture date 7/20/16, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 10/17/16
• ZooLogics Frozen Raw Turkey with Vegetable Meals for Dogs, due to Listeria monocytogenes
  Lot #3155070, manufacture date 7/25/16, in 2 lb. flexible film packages, recalled on 10/17/16

The recalled lot codes and the manufacturing dates are printed directly on the flexible film packages.

Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural initiated each recall of the product lots by notifying customers directly via email. The company states that the raw pet foods are only sold online through direct-to-consumer sales.

This contaminated raw pet food is of particular public health importance because of the potential hazard to both human and animal health. Pets can get sick from Salmonella, but may also be carriers of the bacteria and can infect humans. Pets do not have to be apparently ill to be able to pass Salmonella onto their human companions.

People infected with Salmonella can develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.

Pets do not always display symptoms when infected with Salmonella, but signs can include vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite and/or decreased activity level. Pets can pass Salmonella to humans without showing any signs of the illness themselves.

Raws for Paws of Minneapolis, MN is recalling approximately 4,000 pounds of its 5 lb. and 1 lb. chubs of Ground Turkey Pet Food because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The recalled Ground Turkey Pet Food was distributed throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa directly to consumers and through online mail orders.

The recalled product is packaged into 1-pound and 5-pound sealed plastic tubes, also known as chubs. The chubs are packaged into regular Turkey Pet Food cases and Pet Food Combo Pack cases, which contain a variety of pet food products. The products in question have case codes of 9900008, 9900009, 9900014, and 9900015. The manufacture date of Turkey Pet Food cases is 10/12/2017, and the manufacture dates of Combo Pack cases are between 10/12/2017 and 2/2/2018.

Two illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The potential for contamination was noted after testing by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) revealed the presence of Salmonella in some packages of Turkey Pet Food.

Production of the product has been suspended while MDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Turkey Pet Food should discontinue the use of the product and contact Raws for Paws to determine if their product is subject to this recall and more information about disposal or return instructions. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 612-465-0372.

With an extreme abundance of caution, and with the care and concern of pets top of mind, Redbarn Pet Products, LLC of Long Beach, CA is voluntarily recalling a single product, Redbarn’s 7-inch Bully Stick three pack, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. No illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported.

The recalled products were distributed in pet specialty retail stores. Affected product comes in a 2.4 ounce, green plastic bag marked with an expiration date of 112120ABC stamped on the side. The product UPC is #7 85184 25105 8. You can see examples of the packaging here.

Redbarn takes the safety of pets and pet parents seriously. As company President Jeff Sutherland explained, “On 2/5/2018, we were notified by the Colorado Department of Agriculture that a single sample collected from a retail location detected Salmonella. At Redbarn, we test every product lot before it leaves our manufacturing plant. This lot code, expiry date 112120ABC, was tested both at our Redbarn lab and by a third-party testing facility. Those tests were negative for salmonella or pathogens. Despite not being able to replicate these test results or receiving any negative reports from customers regarding these chews, we feel the best course of action is to recall this lot code of the product and keep our customers safe”.

Consumers are encouraged to check the lot code to see if their product was affected. Pet owners who have this product matching this lot code in their homes are urged to discontinue use of the product. Consumers who purchased 7-inch Bully Stick multipacks with the affected lot code are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. Again, no illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported.

Family-owned Redbarn takes the safety of our product, pets, and customers as a number one concern. Redbarn employs an extensive Quality Assurance team that run over 400 safety tests on their products every week. Products like the 7-inch bully sticks are tested multiple times, for bacteria like Salmonella, coliforms and enteros. A product is declared safe to ship only after it tests negatively for these bacteria and other pathogens. As Sutherland explained “In issuing this voluntary recall, in conjunction with the FDA, we are standing by our core values of quality and integrity. At Redbarn, we do the right thing for our customers. That means that we hold ourselves to the highest safety and quality assurance standards and take all precautions to prevent situations like a recall from happening.”

Consumers with questions may contact the company via email at info@redbarninc.com or by phone at at 1-800-775-3849, M-F, 8am-5pm PST.