If your pet became sick or died you believe is linked to a pet food, OR if you find a hazard with a pet food (such as pieces of foreign matter) – these incidents need to be reported to regulatory authorities.
The incidents should also be reported to the pet food manufacturer – AFTER they are reported to regulatory. Manufacturers are not required to report pet illness or death reports to regulatory agencies. In some cases, pet food manufacturers will quietly pull a dangerous pet food from store shelves without issuing a public recall, putting pets at risk. By reporting a pet food related illness or death and/or a pet food hazard to regulatory authorities, your complaint becomes part of official records and could result in saving the lives of other pets.
Note: This page will be updated as new information is received.
Advice to help in an investigation:
- Save all pet food packaging. Regulatory authorities will probably not investigate without packaging evidencing lot numbers.
- Save any remaining pet food. If possible, locate another bag or can with the exact same lot numbers and Best By date to hold unopened for future testing.
- Discuss with your veterinarian the possibility of the pet illness or death being linked to a pet food. Your vet might need to perform additional testing (including a necropsy in the case of a pet death) to evidence a pet food related illness.
- Report the incident to FDA, your State Authority, and the Pet Food Manufacturer (preferred in that order).
- Do not give all of your remaining pet food from the suspect bag or can to the regulatory authority – retain some for your own testing (if necessary).
- Pet owners can have the pet food tested themselves through a state university veterinary laboratory.
Contact FDA
Click Here to visit FDA’s How to Report a Pet Food Complaint webpage.
Click Here to locate your regional FDA representative (to report by phone).
Click Here to report to FDA online.
Contact State Authorities
If no information is available for your state, please report an incident to FDA.
State Agency:
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
Contact:
Agricultural Compliance Section
Scott Absher, Program Manager
Phone: 334-240-7184
Email : AgCompliance@agi.alabama.gov
State Agency:
Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture
Contact:
Robert Carter, State Feed Contact.
No phone number provided.
Email: Robert.carter@alaska.gov
State Agency:
Arizona Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Food Safety Inspection Service Nogales
Phone: 520-281-0783
Food Safety Inspection Service Yuma
Phone: 928-317-1345
State Agriculture Laboratory
Phone: 602-744-4903
State Agency:
Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
John G. Nilz, DVM
Veterinary Specialist – Field Services
Phone: (501) 297-2250
Email: john.nilz@agriculture.arkansas.gov
State Agency:
California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch.
Contact:
No contact person provided.
Phone: (800) 495-3232
Email: FDBfood@cdph.ca.gov
State Agency:
Colorado Department of Agriculture – Feed.
Contact:
Scott Ziehr, Program Administrator.
Phone: (303) 869-9102
Email: scott.ziehr@state.co.us
State Agency:
Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
State Veterinarian
Phone: (860) 713-2505
Email: ctstate.vet@ct.gov
State Agency:
Delaware Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Complaints and Questions
No phone number provided.
Email: dda.complaints@delaware.gov
State Agency:
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Contact:
Phone: (850) 617-7996
Michele Newton
Email: Michele.Newton@FDACS.gov
Or Cyndie Davis
Email: Cyndi.Davis@FDACS.gov
Or general email: AESCOMPLIANCEFEED@FDACS.gov
A complaint form is required to be completed and provided to the agency. Click Here for form.
State Agency:
Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
State Veterinarian
Phone: (404) 656-3667
Email: Janemarie.Hennebelle@agr.georgia.gov
The state of Hawaii does not regulate pet food.
All pet food complaints must be filed with FDA.
State Agency:
Idaho Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
ISDA Field Services, Division of Plant Industries
Phone: (208) 332-8620
Email: Plants.Information@ISDA.IDAHO.GOV
State Agency:
Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Contact: waiting on information from agency.
State Agency:
Office of Indiana State Chemist.
Contact:
Katie Simpson and/or Trish Dunn
Phone: (765) 494-1611
Email: feedlicense@groups.purdue.edu
State Agency:
Iowa Department of Agriculture, Feed and Fertilizer Bureau.
Contact:
General Department
Phone: (515) 281-5321
Alan Keller, Bureau Chief
Phone: (515) 242-6338
Email: alan.keller@iowaagriculture.gov
Chris Berg, Feed Specialist
Phone: 515-281-8603
Email: chris.berg@iowaagriculture.gov
State Agency:
Kansas Department of Agriculture.
Contact: Ken Bowers
Phone: 785-564-6685
Email: Ken.bowers@ks.gov or KDA.Feed@ks.gov
State Agency:
Kentucky Regulatory Services.
Contact:
Agency webpage with details on how to report a pet food complaint, Click Here.
No phone number provided.
Email: ukfeed@uky.edu
State Agency:
Louisiana Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Mark LeBlanc, Director
Phone: 225 342-5812
Email: mark_l@ldaf.state.la.us
State Agency:
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry.
Contact:
State Feed Director Celeste Poulin
Waiting on contact information requested from state.
State Agency:
Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Waiting on response from agency.
Possible contact:
Animal Health
Phone: 410-841-5810
State Agency:
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
Contact:
Dr. Lorraine O’Connor
No phone provided.
Email: l.oconnor@state.ma.us
State Agency:
Michigan Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
State webpage providing specific instructions to report a pet food or animal feed complaint – Click Here
Phone: (800) 292-3939
State Agency:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Pet Food Unit
Phone: (651) 201-6221
Email: MDA.FFSDPetFood.MDA@state.mn.us
Register a Food Safety & Feed Complaint
Phone: (651) 201-6064
Agency webpage – Click Here.
State Agency:
Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce.
Contact:
Buddy Brannon, Branch Director
Phone: (662) 325-7763
Email: BuddyB@mdac.ms.gov
State Agency:
Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Agency complaint form – Click Here.
Agency stated pet owners should respond to all questions on form marked with an asterisk.
State Agency:
Montana Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Falina Hutchinson
Feed/Fertilizer Program Specialist
Phone: (406) 444-5415
E-mail: FHutchinson@mt.gov
State Agency:
Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Waiting on information from agency.
State Agency:
Nevada Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Waiting on information from agency.
State Agency:
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food.
Contact:
Waiting on information from agency.
State Agency:
New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Christian Kleinguenther, Bureau Chief
Phone: (856) 839-3388
Email: Christian.kleinguenther@ag.state.nj.us
State Agency:
New Mexico Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Jo Lynn Otero, Program Specialist Feed, Seed and Fertilizer Section.
No phone provided.
Email: jotero@nmda.nmsu.edu
State Agency:
New York Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Contact:
Division of Food Safety and Inspection
Phone: 518-457-4492
Email: agr.sm.fsiwebinquiries
State Agency:
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.
Contact:
George Ferguson
Phone: (984) 236-4820
Email: agr.publicaffairs@ncagr.gov
State Agency:
North Dakota Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Agency webpage to report a commercial feed (includes pet food) complaint, Click Here.
Angela Rittmiller
Phone: 701-328-1497
Email: arittmiller@nd.gov.
State Agency:
Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Chris Holton, Agri-Inspection Manager
Phone: 614-728-6410
If a pet death contact Dr. Hayes, Animal Health
Phone: (614) 728-6220
Email: animal@agri.ohio.gov
State Agency:
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Contact:
Waiting on response from agency.
Possible contact:
Aaron Elam, Feed Program Administrator
Email: aaron.elam@ag.ok.gov
State Agency:
Oregon Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Animal Health
Phone: (503) 986-4680
State Agency:
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Click Here to agency complaint portal. Agency requests pet owners enter their name, address and preferred method of contact. Veterinarian records are asked to be provided.
State Agency:
Rhode Island Division of Agriculture.
Contact:
Ron Newman
Phone: 401-222-2781, EXT: 2774518
Email: ron.newman@dem.ri.gov
State Agency:
South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Feed Safety Office
Phone: (803) 734-2035
State Agency:
Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Consumer and Industry Services Complaint Hotline
Phone: (800) 628-2631
State Agency:
Office of the Texas State Chemist.
Contact:
Dr. Tim Herrman
State Chemist and Director
Email: tjh@otsc.tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 845 1121
Mary Sasser
Program Director
Email: mary@otsc.tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 845 1121
State Agency:
Utah Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Waiting on response from agency.
State Agency:
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.
Contact:
Vermont responded that pet food complaints should be reported to FDA.
State Agency:
Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Field Supervisor/Animal Feed Specialist
Phone: (804) 371-2303
Email: caroline.wilkinson@vdacs.virginia.gov
Or Feed & Animal Remedies
Phone: (804) 371-2667
Email: laura.earhart@vdacs.virginia.gov
State Agency:
Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Consumer Protection and Complaints
Agency webpage with complaint form (scroll down page to form), Click Here
State Agency:
West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Waiting on response from agency.
Possible Contact:
Chad Linton
Email: clinton@ag.state.wv.us
State Agency:
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Contact:
Agency website to report a livestock feed or pet food incident, Click Here.
Emergency Phone:
(608) 224-4500 (weekdays)
(800) 943-0003 (nights and weekends)
Emergency email: datcpfeed@wi.gov
Non-emergency Phone:
(608) 224-4539
Email: datcpfeed@wi.gov
State Agency:
Wyoming Department of Agriculture.
Contact:
Agency stated they do not investigate pet food related illnesses.
