The manufacturer of Orijen and Acana Pet Foods is facing two concerning lawsuits for “deceptive marketing“. ‘Deceptive’ is being way too kind based on the claims of these lawsuits.
Richman Law Group has filed two lawsuits against Champion Pet Food for two different consumer groups. One lawsuit is on behalf of the Organic Consumers Association and the other is on behalf of Animal Equality.
Both lawsuits include some very damning information against the pet food manufacturer.
Quotes:
“Champion’s labeling and advertising consistently describe the chickens used in its Products as “free-run.”
The lawsuit captures screen shots of the “free-run” claims made by Champion including this:
But the lawsuit discloses (bold added):
“This farmer, whom Champion purportedly “knows and trusts” as Todd of Clark Farms, is actually Greg Hefton, a contract grower for Tyson Foods – the largest poultry producer in the United States.”
“Contrary to Champion’s representations that the poultry is “free-run” and “raised under the highest standards for animal care,” the poultry that goes into Champion’s products is from birds raised entirely indoors in the typical crowded inhumane conditions of factory poultry farms.”
The second lawsuit includes concerning information regarding Champion’s claims its pet food includes wild caught rainbow trout.
“Champion makes representations that falsely state or lead consumers to believe that it uses wild-caught rainbow trout in its pet foods.”
The suit provides multiple claims of Champion regarding wild-caught fish including this website screen shot:
But, the lawsuit discloses this (bold added):
“The representations and insinuations in Champion’s labeling and marketing that it uses wild-caught fish are false and/or tend to mislead D.C. consumers as to a material fact. Champion uses rainbow trout from Idaho. The vast majority of rainbow trout sourced from Idaho come from large industrial fish farms.”
“The artificial preservative ethoxyquin is a chemical that is widely used as a feed additive in fish farming operations. The presence of trace residues of ethoxyquin in fish products indicates that the fish in the products were farmed, not wild-caught. Resides of ethoxyquin are not found in wild-caught fish products but are routinely found in farmed fish products.”
“Animal Equality commissioned laboratory tests of three Champion products. Two of the products, which did not contain rainbow trout, did not test positive for ethoxyquin. One of the Products, which does contain rainbow trout, tested positive for ethoxyquin. Accordingly, Animal Equality has secured reasonable confirmation that the rainbow trout used in the Products are industrially farmed, contrary to Champion’s “wild-caught” representations.”
Has Champion Pet Food been caught red handed misleading consumers or will the manufacturer have a believable explanation for these seemingly VERY deceptive marketing claims?
These lawsuits will be very interesting to follow up on in the future. When updates are learned, they will be shared.
To read the lawsuits, click Here and Here.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Karen Jasinski
August 21, 2020 at 12:14 pm
I have toured the Dogstar Kitchen and went out fishing with Dennis(pictured in you article), super nice guy! We had dinner with him as well and he talked about his fishing operation in good detail, about catching wild fish and bringing them back to his fish ponds to raise to market size. We also met with Roundstone Native Seed. Interesting article and will have to do further reading on the lawsuit. but the people pictured on the bags are real people. Shoot the one Angus farmer is wearing an old hat with his farm’s name and phone number on it!
Concerned
August 21, 2020 at 9:11 pm
If the fish is from any water lake, stream, pond, river in Kentucky. You need to read this!!!
Statewide, the general population is advised to not eat more than one predatory fish from a Kentucky waterway per month, and no more than one bottom-feeder fish per week. The standards are stricter for children and pregnant women.
https://wfpl.org/kentucky-fights-federal-mercury-rules-state-agencies-issue-advisories-mercury-local-fish/
https://fw.ky.gov/Fish/Pages/Fish-Consumption-Advisories.aspx
Grateful
August 21, 2020 at 10:17 pm
You’re singing the praises of a man who fishes for wild caught fish and puts them in captivity to farm them?
Teresa
August 21, 2020 at 12:21 pm
OMG! Farmed fish are found to contain Ethoxyquin?! Already proven bad for our pets. How much is consumed by humans eating farm raised fish products? And what is it doing to them? This lawsuit has potential to raise so much concern and awareness across the species lines! Wow! Perhaps the tables can be turned slightly where our pets “speak out” to advocate for us as many humans have spoken out for them. Great information Susan!
Cherry
January 12, 2021 at 9:18 pm
Guess I’ll never make a fish recipe for my dog
Sue
August 21, 2020 at 12:47 pm
I’m so glad I lost my lease and no longer sell pet food!
Megan K.
August 21, 2020 at 12:53 pm
Remember when Evanger’s was found to have phenobarbital in their beef cans? Well it was sourced back to a beef tallow plant that ended up processing euthanized horses. At the same time Champion was also scooped up in the issue. But I found out from my Champion rep that they DID buy beef tallow from that same plant…yet they didn’t say anything about it to the public. That was the day I decided to take it off my retail shelves!!
Signed an independent retailer.
Mary Lynn Bartram
August 21, 2020 at 1:17 pm
Will be very interested to here the truth about this lawsuit. Thanks for the information
Pat Scott
August 21, 2020 at 3:00 pm
This is a problem with all brands of pet food. The pictures of breast meat chicken and fresh vegetables are completely false. This is deceptive marketing and as far as I am concerned it ias also fraud!
Concerned
August 21, 2020 at 9:19 pm
Not according to the newly appointed judge that oversaw the CPF lawsuit in Colorado. JUDGE SITES PUFFERY! in dismissal.
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/04/09/denver-federal-judge-dan-domenico-senate/
The motion presents the question whether Plaintiffs’ second amended complaint alleges a false or misleading statement made by Defendants Champion Petfoods USA, Inc., and Champion Petfoods LP (collectively, “Champion”) on their packaging of its premium dog food brands Orijen and Acana. The packaging said that Orijen and Acana are “Trusted Everywhere,” made from “Ingredients We Love [From] People We Trust,” composed of “Biologically Appropriate” ingredients, and sourced with “Fresh Regional Ingredients.” Plaintiffs allege each of these four assertions was false, and this case is one in a spate of litigation against Champion for its packaging claims.
Plaintiffs lack standing to challenge one of the statements—”Biologically Appropriate”—because they weren’t harmed by it. And the other statements—”Trusted Everywhere,” “Ingredients We Love [From] People We Trust,” and “Fresh Regional Ingredients”—are marketing puffery. The Court GRANTS Champion’s motion to dismiss
Dianne & Pets
August 25, 2020 at 8:44 pm
So the judge recognizes marketing puffery, so everyone else is supposed as well. Then what does this judge think the consumer should base his or her choice on? Are we supposed to assume that all the ingredients are the garbage it is suspected to be and just make a choice based on that? In that case, the consumer should just buy the cheapest stuff going. Would the judge decide the same way if a food claiming to be human grade turns out not to be?
Kathy Woodsum
August 21, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Disturbing. Good thing my cat never liked their products.😄
Cherry
January 12, 2021 at 9:21 pm
For me the Origen dog food was too smelly.
Marj
August 21, 2020 at 9:33 pm
I fed my athletic dogs the pricey Tundra and remember how excited I was reading all the great ingredients used. After a few weeks, I noted that the dogs poops were really sticky and not whole firm stools. I went back to feeding human grade foods and made their meals. More effort on my part but they love their meals and are healthy. Yes, I supplement.
Lilly
August 22, 2020 at 6:51 am
Ethoxyquin (EMQ) is a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a food preservative in certain countries and originally to control scald on pears after harvest (under commercial names such as “Stop-Scald”). It is used as a preservative in some pet foods to slow the development of rancidity of fats. Available information via Google.
I could find no evidence that Ethoxiquin is a food additive for fish commercially farmed.
Otherwise great information, thank you.
jessicasblog45
August 27, 2020 at 5:10 pm
Lilly, read the first paragraph of this science journal: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfs/2013/585931/
It does say it can be passed from farmed fish.
Dianne & pets
January 31, 2024 at 4:43 pm
You should watch this YouTube video. The last part goes into ethoxyquin and how it gets into our food. Well worth watching. Farmed norwegian salmon world’s most toxic food.
https://youtu.be/RYYf8cLUV5E?si=gxVMFPPgzKA30BK1
Jenny
August 22, 2020 at 3:22 pm
So angry, when you buy very expensive food you think your dogs are eating quality food and the meats used had a decent life before.
Jessica
August 25, 2020 at 5:35 pm
How decent can it be when it lasts less than 6 months?
Dawn
July 23, 2022 at 3:17 pm
Jessica, how decent can it be if it has so ma preservatives that it lasts *longer* than 6 months? If has a really long shelf life it’s gotta have some heavy duty preservatives. :^/
Maria Castellano
August 24, 2020 at 12:04 pm
So the Manager recommended Acana food for my Boxer puppy recently as I told her I was looking for a better grade of food to feed him. She said it was “the best”…2 1/2 weeks into cahnging over and feeding him this brand of food he started to throw up and have diarrhea. I honestly thought he picked up a virus at his last kennel visit. I kept an eye on him…after 3 days of the same symptoms I suspected the new food….he has been off of it for at least 2 weeks now and he is still not 100% but getting there….I feel like this could have killed him ….thankful though that this experience helped me find this newsletter as well as some others that have opened my eyes to the dog food industry and the issues with it.
Tania Cummings
August 29, 2020 at 9:10 am
Their deception dates back to 2008 when they denied knowing their Orijen food had been gamma irradiated upon entry to Australia. This process is known to change the food to make it poisonous to cats, causing stealth paralysis and brain damage which does not become evident until around 3 months after commencement of feeding the product. Documents obtained under FOI from the Australian government showed they did in fact know and had actually given consent for their importer to instruct Quarantine to irradiate it. I’ve still got those documents. They lied to me about this on the phone. Further, Champion demurred and delayed action to remove the food from retailers’ shelves even as a precautionary measure, and all the while new customers were coming on board and commencing feeding only to find out three months later their cat had been brain damaged. Over 100 cats suffered the paralysis and many died or were euthanised. My cat lived the lst five years of her life in a wheelchair and partially incontinent. RIP Colette, Blue Point Siamese. I shall never forget you and how brave you were.
John F.
September 9, 2020 at 4:16 pm
Hi all
I have been feeding my 13 year old dog Amore raw beef and veggie for 10 years and she’s never been sick or needed vet care (aside from 2 root canals needed after giving her a large bone!). I also give her a small amount of acana grasslands as a sort of treat but recently have been reading about meat meals and am going to stop this. I have contacted acana 3 times to ask where they get the meals from and they have not responded. Meals are a nasty business and if they are from a “higher quality” rendering plant, they can be even nastier. On top of that, I can’t abide by their marketing claims of fresh regional ingredients any longer. This is not only not true, but it CAN”T be true. No kibble is going to be without meals and things you don’t want to feed your pet.
I’ve visited the kitchen where Amore is made and I’ve seen the whole, organic meats they use so I trust it and feel good about feeding it to my dog. Her poops are firm and easy to pick up like I say above, she’s always healthy and looks very young for her age.
Makes me so upset to have been fooled by champion and their marketing! I’m supporting Amore now and hope they continue as they are for years to come.
Tania Cummings
September 10, 2020 at 10:54 am
Hi John F. I know where Champion got some of their render from around ten years ago, I have the paperwork obtained under a Freedom of Informatiom request. I’ll look it out for you. It’s stored in a box in my garage. I can’t remember the name without looking. They might have changed render supplier since then or they might use more than one. But it’s a start, you can ask the supplier if they still supply to Champion and see what they say. Give me a day or so. Thanks.
Kay Bush
December 18, 2021 at 3:39 pm
My neighbor gave me a bag of Orijen 6 fish. Her dog had developed DCM and her vet recommended that she stop feeding a grain free diet. I added just a small amount to my dog’s current food. Phew! The horrible gas that resulted made me concerned about digestive issues. Even after two weeks. my dog was not adjusting to the small amount of Orijen. When I posted a review on their website, they wouldn’t allow it. I tried again, with less info but the same one star. Again they won’t post it. I just tried a third time! SO: The only reason their website has such high reviews seems to be because they pick and choose to only allow five star reviews. If that’s not deceitful, I don’t know what is! Stop drinking the koolaid all you Orijen fans!
Michael
January 28, 2024 at 1:38 pm
Thought Orijen was the best. Fed large puppy to my very expensive dog and he never could tolerate it. Had EXPLOSIVE diarrhea in my car while I made a quick trip into the market. Came back to a car with liquid smelly diarrhea on every inch of the interior. I had to drive home with all the windows down during winter and sit in poop.
So we switched to regional red and he tolerated it right away and gas went away. Later on after buying a new bag made during a different month he got bad gas and diarrhea again. We immediately switched to home cooked beef and yellow potatoes. Gas and diarrhea gone overnight.
All I can tell you is that at $120/23lb bag with ALL THE CLAIMS THEY MAKE the foods needs to be perfect in every way.
I think something major is wrong with this food. When we bought the new bag of regional red my dog took one sniff and walked away. This coming from a dog that eats ANYTHING!. He said NOPE not eating that.