The FDA has posted a warning for consumers to avoid feeding their pets some lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw dog food because samples have tested positive for Salmonella bacteria. These three lots “represent a serious threat to human and animal health and are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain Salmonella,” according to the notice.
The raw dog food in question is:
- Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5309(11)181019, manufactured on October 19, 2018
- Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5375(11)181106, manufactured on November 11, 2018
- Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Turkey Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5339(11)181026, manufactured on October 26, 2018
These products are made by Arrow Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. The food is sold online to consumers. A consumer complaint prompted the FDA testing.
These pet foods are sold and stored frozen. The FDA is concerned that consumers probably have some of these lots in their freezers. The FDA “considers the actions taken by Arrow Reliance to remove violative product from the marketplace to meet the regulatory definition of a recall. However, the firm has not issued public notification, and the FDA is not confident that the firm’s customer notifications are effective for this ongoing recall,” according to the notice.
After you discard the food, you should clean your refrigerator and freezer where the product was stored, and clean and disinfect “all bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with. Clean up the pet’s feces in yards or parks where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the recalled product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces,” the FDA advises.
The FDA is concerned about this issue because pets can get sick with Salmonella infections, not show symptoms, and pass the pathogen on to humans. There are cases when humans have gotten sick from exposure to contaminated pet foods.
The warning ends by stating that pet owners who choose to feed raw pet food should be aware of the risks that are associated with these products. One person was sickened last October with a Salmonella infection; that person got sick after pets in the household were fed Darwin’s Natural raw pet food.
If your pet has become ill, contact your vet. And you can report any pet illnesses through the Safety Reporting Portal.
