DOJ Sues Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Over Eight Years of Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli Contamination in Raw Pet Food
Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on August 7, 2026, against Arrow Reliance Inc., which does business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, seeking an injunction to stop the company from manufacturing and selling adulterated raw pet food. FDA testing from 2017 to 2025 repeatedly found Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in the company’s finished products, causing infections in both humans and pets. The case, filed in the Western District of Washington, marks one of the most aggressive federal enforcement actions against a raw pet food manufacturer.
Key Facts
- Company
- Arrow Reliance Inc. (d/b/a Darwin’s Natural Pet Products)
- Country
- United States
- Industry
- Pet food manufacturing
- Category
- Raw pet food / food safety enforcement
- Event
- DOJ lawsuit seeking injunction over adulterated pet food
- Date
- 2026-08-07 (filed)
- Location
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
- Source
- U.S. Department of Justice / FDA
What Happened
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint on August 7, 2026, in the Western District of Washington (Case No. 26-2805) against Arrow Reliance Inc., the Washington-state company operating as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. The federal government alleges that the business owner violated federal food safety law by failing to follow preventive controls requirements, causing uncooked pet food to become adulterated with multiple dangerous pathogens.
According to the DOJ complaint, the FDA collected samples from Darwin’s finished pet food products over an eight-year period spanning 2017 to 2025. Testing revealed the presence of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) on multiple occasions. The government further alleges that the contaminated pet food repeatedly caused infections in both humans and pets during that period.
Background
Darwin’s Natural Pet Products has been on the FDA’s radar for years. The agency issued a warning letter in September 2025 stating that the company had not provided sufficient proof that affected lots of its BioLogics All-Natural and Grain-Free Beef Recipe for Dogs had been removed from the marketplace. Earlier FDA inspections had documented similar pathogen contamination issues going back to at least 2018, when Darwin’s recalled multiple raw pet food products for Salmonella and E. coli O128 contamination.
The company markets its products as raw, natural, and grain-free pet food, primarily sold through direct-to-consumer subscription channels. Raw pet food has been a subject of increasing regulatory scrutiny as the segment has grown, with the FDA and CDC both issuing warnings about the public health risks associated with raw diets for pets.
Industry Context
The DOJ lawsuit against Darwin’s comes amid a broader wave of pet food safety enforcement in 2026. In August alone, at least four other pet food recalls were triggered by FDA testing: Northwest Naturals recalled frozen raw chicken pet food for Salmonella and Listeria; Foodynamics recalled four brand labels; Raw Bistro recalled lot 239; and Consumers Supply recalled biscuits distributed across seven states. South Africa’s RCL Foods also reported a 27 percent earnings decline in its FY2026 results, partly attributed to a nationwide Salmonella pet food recall that wiped out market share.
The raw pet food segment has grown rapidly in recent years, driven by pet humanization trends and consumer demand for natural, minimally processed diets. However, the category carries inherently higher food safety risks because the cooking step that kills pathogens is intentionally skipped. The FDA’s preventive controls rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires all pet food manufacturers to implement hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls, regardless of whether the product is cooked or raw.
Market and Business Impact
The DOJ lawsuit signals a shift from voluntary recalls and warning letters to formal legal action against repeat offenders in the raw pet food sector. If the court grants the injunction, Darwin’s would be required to implement sanitation improvements and comply with preventive controls regulations before resuming production, potentially disrupting its direct-to-consumer subscription business.
For the broader raw pet food category, the enforcement action could increase compliance costs and insurance premiums across the segment. Companies producing raw, freeze-dried, and high-pressure-processed (HPP) pet food may face additional regulatory scrutiny as the FDA and DOJ apply FSMA preventive controls more aggressively. The case also creates reputational risk for the raw pet food movement, which has been growing at double-digit rates but now faces questions about its safety infrastructure.
Companies and Brands Involved
Arrow Reliance Inc., operating as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, is the defendant. The company is based in Washington state and sells raw pet food directly to consumers through subscription delivery. The DOJ and FDA are the enforcement bodies. No other pet food manufacturers are named in the lawsuit, though the case has implications for the entire raw pet food segment, including companies like Northwest Naturals, which faced its own recall in August 2026.
Data and Evidence
- Contamination period: 2017 to 2025 (eight years of FDA-detected pathogens)
- Pathogens found: Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
- Case number: U.S. v. Arrow Reliance Inc., No. 26-2805 (W.D. Wash., filed August 7, 2026)
- Legal basis: Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; FSMA preventive controls requirements
- Reported impact: Repeated infections in humans and pets linked to the company’s products
- Remedy sought: Injunction requiring sanitation improvements and compliance with preventive controls regulations
What This Means for the Pet Industry
The Darwin’s lawsuit marks a turning point in how federal regulators handle pet food safety. For the first time, the DOJ is seeking a court-ordered injunction against a raw pet food manufacturer based on years of repeated contamination, rather than relying on voluntary recalls alone. This tells every raw and minimally-processed pet food maker that FSMA preventive controls are not optional, and that repeated violations will result in federal litigation rather than another warning letter. Expect consolidation in the raw pet food segment as smaller producers without robust food safety systems exit or are acquired. The case also gives ammunition to critics who have long argued that raw pet food poses unacceptable public health risks, potentially emboldening state legislatures to impose stricter rules on raw diet sales.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Department of Justice sued Arrow Reliance Inc. (Darwin’s Natural Pet Products) on August 7, 2026, seeking an injunction to stop the company from manufacturing and selling adulterated raw pet food.
- FDA testing from 2017 to 2025 repeatedly found Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in Darwin’s finished pet food products, causing infections in humans and pets.
- The lawsuit, filed in the Western District of Washington (Case No. 26-2805), requires the company to implement sanitation improvements and comply with FSMA preventive controls before resuming production.
- The enforcement action signals a shift from voluntary recalls to federal litigation for repeat pet food safety offenders, with implications for the entire raw pet food segment.
- The case occurs amid a broader wave of 2026 pet food recalls, including Northwest Naturals, Foodynamics, Raw Bistro, and Consumers Supply, indicating heightened regulatory pressure on pet food safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened?
The DOJ filed a lawsuit on August 7, 2026, against Arrow Reliance Inc. (Darwin’s Natural Pet Products), seeking an injunction to stop the company from selling adulterated raw pet food contaminated with Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli over an eight-year period.
Which company is involved?
Arrow Reliance Inc., which does business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, based in Washington state. The company sells raw pet food through direct-to-consumer subscription delivery.
Where did the legal action take place?
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Case No. 26-2805).
Why is this important for the pet industry?
This is one of the most aggressive federal enforcement actions against a raw pet food manufacturer, signaling that the DOJ and FDA will use litigation, not just voluntary recalls, to address repeat food safety violations in the pet food sector.
What pet industry segment is affected?
The raw and minimally-processed pet food segment is most directly affected, but the case has implications for all pet food manufacturers subject to FSMA preventive controls requirements.
Sources
- Primary — U.S. Department of Justice / JD Supra, https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/food-and-beverage-litigation-and-3053419/, September 2026
- Secondary — dvm360 (FDA warning history), https://www.dvm360.com/news/recalls, September 2025
- Secondary — FDA enforcement actions archive, 2017-2025
