Lawsuit Filed Against Maker of Deadly Drug Laced Dog Food; Big Heart Brand Gravy Train Dog Food Named in Suit
As a result of an ABC7 investigation that exposed that the euthanasia drug pentobarbital – a lethal drug used to euthanize pets – was found in the national brand of dog food, Gravy Train, a class action lawsuit was filed against Big Heart Brands the maker of the contaminated dog food.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of a seven-month-long investigation by ABC7 to determine if pet foods other than Evanger’s were contaminated with sodium pentobarbital. After months of tests and re-tests, one brand repeatedly came back positive for pentobarbital. The investigation utilized two different labs, and both showed that Gravy Train dog foods tested positive for pentobarbital. In fact, out of the 62 pet food brands tested, 9 of the 15 cans of Gravy Train consistently tested positive for pentobarbital – a drug commonly used to euthanize cats and dogs and horses.
The lawsuit points out that the contaminated dog foods contain pentobarbital, “a barbiturate drug used as a sedative and anesthetic for animals. Pentobarbital is now most commonly used to euthanizing dogs and cats.” The lawsuit lists the following dog foods as contaminated with sodium pentobarbital:
Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with Beef Chunks;
Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with TBone Flavor Chunks;
Gravy Train Chunks in Gravy with Chicken Chunks;
Gravy Train Strips in Gravy Beef Strips and
Gravy Train With Lamb & Rice Chunks.
There is no safe or set level for pentobarbital in pet food, and if it is present, the food is adulterated. The ingestion of pentobarbital can lead to a long list of adverse health issues, including neurologic abnormalities (tremor, seizure, vocalization, unusual eye movements), ataxia (difficulty walking), collapse, coma, and of course: death.
The most likely route that pentobarbital came to be in the Gravy Train dog food was from a rendered protein such as meat and bone meal. Rendered products come from a process that converts animal tissues to feed ingredients, including tissues from animals that have been euthanized, decomposed or were diseased.
However, despite the law that forbids euthanized animals in pet food, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not aggressively taken action against pet food companies that use non-slaughtered animals (3D and 4D animals) in their pet foods.
Therefore, manufacturers, including Big Heart Brands, may use this lack of enforcement as a means to continue to use non-slaughtered animals that may contain poisonous substances, like pentobarbital, in their pet foods.
Indeed, this is not the first time that the Gravy Train’s dog food was found to contain pentobarbital. In 1998 and again in 2000, analyses by the FDA found residue of the sedative in Gravy Train dog food along with a number of other leading brands of pet food. Despite the discovery, the practice of using non-slaughtered animals euthanized with sodium pentobarbital in its pet foods continues.
Presumably, the manufacturers of Gravy Train have continued the practice of using non-slaughtered animals in their food since its discovery by the FDA in 1998 with the knowledge that consumers would be feeding the contaminated pet foods multiple times each day to their pets. While the long-term effects of repeated exposure of the barbiturate to pets are unknown, consumers would be unlikely to risk of feeding a deadly drug in any amount to their pet over an extended period while the consequences are unknown.
Regardless of the health risks of consuming a lethal drug, several critical issues remain unanswered: How did drug-laced meat get into Gravy Train’s dog food? Since the initial discovery of pentobarbital in Gravy Train’s food in 1998 why have the manufacturers allowed the practice to continue for 29 years?
As the suit so eloquently states, Smucker’s owned Big Heart Brands “knowingly, recklessly and/or negligently is selling contaminated dog food containing pentobarbital, a substance largely used to euthanize animals” and as such consumers should carefully consider whether they should feed their pets any of their other brands including Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles’n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Nature’s Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Milo’s Kitchen, Alley Cat, Jerky Treats, Meaty Bone, Pounce, and Snausages.
For more information, contact Big Heart Brand’s corporate website.
To find out how to report a problem with a pet food contact the FDA.
Pet Food Safety News publishes reader-supported investigative reporting on commercial pet food, industry practices, and regulatory issues affecting consumers. It has no financial ties to pet food companies. Donations help fund the research, writing, and publishing costs behind this work and support continued reporting on transparency, accountability, and consumer protection in the pet food industry. If you value this reporting, please consider making a donation.
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66 Comments
rachel goodkind
Obviously some ‘pet’ food companies use the cheapest and most disgusting of
ingredients, their own species or others costing a few cents per pound. Certainly you
have heard about the killing of horses in mexico and canada slaughterhouses. The FDA and
USDA upper management are not working for the American consumer but for big business.
Make the food your animals eat and you will be better off in the long run. peace.
David Demarest
Can I get on law suit,for my dog
D.R. M.
Question, how can I and where can i join the Lawsuits, i almost lost my Golden, she got feed a can and shortly after collapsed and had to take her to the vet!
Cody
All I’ve ever fed my two dogs are Gravy Train and Ol’ Roy! Have both in the dog food container now! Makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. If anything happens to our dogs my little girl is going to be devastated. They (Milo and Dallas) are our family!
melodie warren
My baby girl Blessing passed away on February fourth. She was very happy and healthy until I started feeding her gravy train dog food. She was my life. She also was my service dog but she was more than that she was like a piece of me that died too. Sheee was my baby. I was and still am crushed and totally lost without her. I emailed the company and they said not much we can do. Sorry. We need to make them pay. I want them to pay so I can get another dog. No one will ever replace my baby girl. But I NEED another mini girl pomerPomer. I only have girl clothes,
Kristine jackson
She was also my service aid and best friend my daughter to me
Kristine jackson
My dog died on April 6,2018 from dry kibble and bits dog food I need help with filing a law suit against the company
Chelsie
My dog past away! How fed him kibbles and bits and ol roy
How can I file?
Vince Luca
I fed my dog gravy train and one day in September 2017 he began to have seizures which we could never control. He ended by being extremely lathargic to the point of becoming a breathing stuffed animal. Visit after visit my vet and his specialist consulted but to no avail. The final suggestion was to euthanize him. He would have been 3 in October of 2017
Maria Chils
I have been feeding Gravy Train in wet cans cans and hard food since she was born…because it was the only dog food that I have always been able to afford buying for her..always purchased in Dollar Days and Dollar tree…. she is now going to be 4 in May…but she has always acted crazy…too hiper..and that makes since..I want to be added to the law suit..no wonder I have been trying to find it in every Dollar Days and Dollar Tree now..and they say that the don’t sell it anymore….I trusted them….always..I want my dog psychologically checked and I want to be in the lawsuit also…please help. Chils@hotmail.com
Thanks
Justin Zacks
I have been feeding my Puggle nature‘s recipe and natural balance over past two years not knowing of this poison. But I’ve noticed his lack of agility increased tiredness and tremors even when it wasn’t cold also he would throw up his food quite often. I am extremely pissed after reading this but it now makes perfect sense why he was acting the way he was. These manufacturers should be forced to eat their own food!
Lorene Coble
I lost my Princess a month ago the hardest thing that ever happened I got her when she was 8 weeks old and I had been feeding them milkbone and the treats and milkbone vitamins she did leave me with 2 babies and I hope they will be ok
barbara m
Many folks don’t read the ingredients on the label; and if they do, are likely to be confused. Unfortunately, it’s the inexpensive brands, such as Kibble n’ Bits, Gravy Train, Milk Bone, Ole Roy, Meow Mix, (to name only a few), that were found to contain the lethal euthanasia drug. They contain the ingredients: by-products, meat and bone meal, animal fat/ digest. They also include a huge proportion of cheap fillers like corn, wheat, and soy, (carbs), plus artificial flavors and dyes, that are not good for a pets’ health. This may be a wake-up call for folks to check out the labels before purchasing. It’s hard to remember all the ingredients to avoid, so may be necessary to carry a tablet when shopping. Sad to say = the pet foods that you find in the grocery store or a big box store are the brands you want to avoid.
Laurie Fisher
My dog started having seizures the week of Christmas 2017 she’s had 5 grand mal seizures since. She’s been eating Kibbles and bits for over 3 years. I do believe that there may be pain up barbital in the dog food. I sent the company a sample of the dog food and they promised to get back to me and never did it’s been over a month. I’ve called him five times and they promised to have somebody call me back and nobody’s called me back this is been going on since the end of December. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.
Jamie
And this is exactly why I only get our dog food at the feed stores. Ever since I learned where commercial dog foods ingredients come from. They don’t need to eat as much because there’s no fillers in it, and it’s human grade ingredients. So it’s really not more expensive in the long run. And my furbabies stay healthy.
Althea Buckley
Disgusting!!
Renee' Dodd
How do I join this lawsuit? I feed my fur baby Ole Roy wich was recalled for Phenobarbital in it. She passed away January 19, 2018.
Crystal Wood
I would like to know how to join lawsuit as I lost a boxer puppy, and my momma dogs hair is falling out and my older 13 year old is sleeping way more lately that I’m checking for signs of life
Nick Maniaci
I need to know too!
Mine just passed, I put Gravy Train in with his regilar dogfood. PLEASE TELL ME.
peggy k
my dog died Dec 27 2017…she had Alot of Gravy Train Beef n Gravy…(we fed her people food as well and also other Varieties not supposedly contaminated with Phenobarbital aka Ketamine. She had other health issues and was 14. I feel soooo guilty though, I still have 6 cans or so left it DOES have the lot @ on it. I emailed the MFG they said “trace amts” not deadly, in fact in humans it can be used as an antidepressant and I think in small amts supposedly used as a pain killer. I hate to think my dog died over what I fed her the past 3 months..(we bought in bulk) prob 2 mos worth of food, I don’t know if earlier lots had it or not? Towards the end she was tired alot, lethargic… then again, she was old with other health issues so I don’t know. It’s killing me inside… I have to think TRACE amts as they say can’t KILL a dog, but who they hell knows how much was in there? I’m in an awful depression for 3 months now over the death of my dog…then again, as my dog WAS older, with health issues, I am hoping beyond all hope, that MAYBE the Ketamine “acted” as a painkiller, or antidepressant and maybe made her last few months better? For her arthritis the Vet have her years ago TRAMADOL and Rimadyl–that stuff I’d never give her again…she was hyper wouldnlt like down sat upright like a statue all night with that… so I”m thinking hopefully in TRACE amts Ketamine aka Phenobarbitol is, as they say, NOt harmful…?? But who knows, they like and cover their butts all the time..wish I knew for sure though. Never again will I feed another dog ANY dog food…it’s all garbage and what I attribute to all these dog cancers lately….more $$$ for the vets and entire industry!
Laurie Fisher
OMG my heart goes out to you, I’m sitting here crying after reading your post. I love my dog Spirit more than life itself, my life wouldn’t be the same without her. I do believe that this big heart brand Kibbles and bits is what caused her to start having seizures. She was seven and a half years old in December when she started having the seizures, I put her on CBDs for 6 weeks and then took her off continuing to feed her the Kibbles and bits and she had a another grand mal seizure 3 days later. I have gotten no help no response from Big Hart brand. I decided to try and figure it out on my own, I stopped feeding her Kibbles and bits on March 12th, and took her off the CBDs March 16th she has not had a seizure since. To me that proves that it is the Kibbles and bits that caused the seizures. I would appreciate any help I can get. I’ve called probably 40 different agencies and called Kibbles and bits five times and I have gotten nowhere please somebody help us with the Blind Faith. I’m afraid to feed her any bag dog food anymore. I now I’m feeding her Blue Buffalo and she loves it, I just hope and pray that’s not poisoning her. She seems to like it in the ingredients sound like they’re good for her. Every time I would feed her the Kibbles and bits I would wonder and feel guilty, wondering if that’s what was causing the seizures. She would cry for a good half-hour at night like she was hallucinating and in pain after having the seizures. I pray to God that no other dog owner has to go through what her and I have gone through, it’s heartbreaking.
shirley
And why do they push “don’t give your animals table scraps”?
Patrick Huerta
If the FDA doesn’t enforce whatever laws that prohibit the use of these drugs in our pets foods, what do we have to do to remove the entire staffing or department that isn’t upholding the care we entrusted and expected from them? Also, what are the names of the people who are running the quality of these foods and can they be shared for all to see?
Sandra Mills
Amen. I’m not going to purchase any product manufactured by Big Heart or Smuckers. The FDA has violated our trust and should be made to pay for it.
Patty
You are absolutely right ! they do need to pay and if my dog dies,they will and that’s a promise that I intend to keep !!!!!
Geneva Zimmerman
I feed mine table food. And he loves it
Elizabeth Sellick
Why Haven’t they Pulled these PRODUCTS OFF the Shelves !!
Patty
That’s what I want to know,bcse when I go to petco tomorrow,I’m saying something about it.
mike
love your website and your info. you just saved 1000’s of pets and changed big pet foods practices! Thanks! so much!
Gail Cook
Knowingly contaminating pet food is so heinous. I feed my dogs and my cats Natural Balance dry and the cats also the wet. Now I’m afraid to feed them !!!!
Patty
You should be bcse mine eats the same food as well and we had to take him to the vet twice and he’s losing weight and they do not know why. He’s 9 but still,he’s been eating the food for about 3 or 4 months.
Patty
I also just realized I’ve been giving my dog milk bone vitamins and he’s been eating them for quite some time,I feel so horrible and blame myself. I had no idea it was the vitamins as well.
Robert
Feed it to the CEO
mike
I am down with that plus the suppliers of this garbage!!
Laquita Gooch
Someone should get this produce off the shelfs. Im so sad that i read that what i have been giving my dog may have killed him. My pug (cotton) had all these symptoms seizer everytime he seen me. He would get so happy that he would have seizers. I had him since he was 6 weeks it hurt that he left all of a sutton. He was 9 years old. Good health last year then bad health the bext. N to find that nothing i was giving him was good for him. I fought so hard to get him. Feel now that if i would have just left him with my husband he would have still been her. I chose kibbles n bitts cause i thought it had more flavor and he would eat it. Sometimes i had to throw the gravy train on it cause he liked the smell. But he was so picky. That sometimes he wouldnt eat it. Maybe he knew it was bad for him n i forced it on him. I thought he wanted table food. I now feel like it was my fault. I should have did my home work. Plz get this out. I lost my best friend , my son. I wish he was here with me. Everyday. Its been two months and im still sad.
LAQUITA GOOCH LOVES COTTON GOOCH. REST IN PEACE MY COTTON YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
Rebecca Swink
If they put it in pet food how can we be sure that it’s not in food they make for people
Lorraine Garber
Because they don’t use, as far as we know euthanized animals in our food products. (yet). They have turned animals into cannibals. This is one of the supposed reasons Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease AKA: mad cow disease started. Research it.
Lorraine Garber
i also want to comment that downed cows, pigs,and chickens with cancer are used in pet foods and possibly used in ground meats. Now, there is a law that does not allow investigators to report what they see. It’s all GREED! at our pet’s expense and not to mention the greed behind the meat and dairy industry. I suggest watching ” What The Health”.. for the human side of food info.
Edie M. Tomascik
i’m am so mad my Dog My Baby had to be put down because she contacted a blood disease she ate kibbles & bits pup peroni begin strips ….I got another dog started her on kibbles she got sick pup peroni she liked now does not want anything to do with them and now she’s loosing her fur…..what can I do????
michelle Cote
my 5 lb toy poodle has been sick since October of 2017 – she is being treated for autoimmune disease – I have been feeding her ” Natural Balance ” for over 5 years – our vet asked us if she could have gotten into some poison – we do not think that she will recover as she is still getting weaker – she is only 8 years old – this is breaking my heart – I am going to the store now to buy a different brand of food – crying – have I been (unknowingly) killing my baby – :'( mikki
Tricia
Michele, what kind of NB did you feed her? Dry or wet? I have used dry for years as it seemed like one of the only brands to use meat as the number one ingredient and no grains which is just a cheap filler, and did not contain other ingredients I look out for. But to think after all of those concerns, the meat they do use is contaminated. UGH!! I add human grade meat to a small amount of NB dry in order to get all of the vitamins they need. Now I think I will have to add veggies and a vitamin supplement and forgo all industry foods.
shirley
i started gravy train and after a couple weeksstarted not eating. then diarrhea. for two months continued diarrhea and no appetite. stopped Gravy Train. gave her new med Entyce and helped awhile for an hour a day. Nothing stopped the diarrhea like water. He died Jan 29th
mona vrabel
These companies make me sick! It’s all about money. Feeding garbage to our pets is no longer an option. We must fight for changing laws and holding these people who are continually poisoning our pets accountable for their actions. They should be put out of business. Period…
Robin
Sick, sick, sick people involved in this. In addition to losing pets, imagine the horror pet owners are imaging while they wonder if their pets were fed to other animals.