Raw Pet Food Maker Faces Pathogen Claims Lawsuit
A federal lawsuit against the maker of Darwin's Natural Pet Products is putting raw pet food safety back in the spotlight.
This is one of those dog-food stories worth stopping for.
The United States has filed a federal lawsuit against Arrow Reliance Inc., the company that does business as Darwin's Natural Pet Products. The government is asking a federal court to stop the company from manufacturing and selling pet food unless it complies with federal food-safety requirements.
For dog parents, the bigger story is what federal investigators say they found.
According to the complaint, 12 of the 18 most recent samples of Darwin's raw pet food collected by the FDA since 2023 contained pathogens. Nine allegedly contained Salmonella, one contained Listeria monocytogenes, and two contained both.
Those are not small numbers.
But there is something important to remember before going any further: these statements are allegations contained in a federal complaint. A lawsuit being filed does not mean the defendants have been found liable.
What happened?
The Justice Department announced the case on August 11. The underlying complaint was filed August 7 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
The case is docketed as United States v. Arrow Reliance Inc. and Gary T. Tashjian, No. 2:26-cv-02805. Tashjian, Arrow Reliance's president and founder, is named individually as a defendant alongside the company.
The government alleges that Arrow Reliance, doing business as Darwin's Natural Pet Products, violated federal law by manufacturing and distributing adulterated uncooked pet food and failing to follow required preventive food-safety controls.
The complaint lays out six counts, all under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Five allege that Darwin's raw pet food was adulterated, or that the company failed to register its facility or follow required preventive food-safety controls. The sixth count alleges that Darwin's marketed its raw food with disease-related claims — for conditions including diabetes, arthritis, seizures, urinary tract infections and inflammatory bowel disease — that, according to the government, made the products unapproved new animal drugs under federal law.
The company produces frozen raw foods containing ingredients such as beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, duck and pollock. According to the government's complaint, Darwin's produces approximately 85,000 pounds of finished raw pet food each week and distributes products to customers in multiple states.
That is why this is more than a local Washington story.
The number that stands out
The federal complaint alleges pathogens were detected in 12 of the 18 most recent Darwin's raw-pet-food samples collected by FDA since 2023.
What investigators say they found
The complaint describes FDA inspections and testing going back several years. In August 2024, investigators say Salmonella was found on a swab taken from inside equipment used to package finished raw pet food.
That same month, FDA investigators collected finished food from six separate lots. According to the complaint, all six samples contained Salmonella. One also contained Listeria monocytogenes.
This is not the government's first look at the company's food-safety record. FDA inspected Arrow Reliance's Tukwila, Washington facility in December 2017 and January 2018 after receiving customer complaints, then issued a warning letter in April 2018 citing Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli across multiple product lots. FDA said genetic testing linked a Salmonella strain found in one lot of cat food to a kitten's death. The agency issued a second warning letter in February 2023 after finding contamination again.
The complaint also cites 49 consumer complaints reported between 2016 and January 2026. According to the government, those complaints describe 34 dogs and 35 cats becoming sick, including five dog deaths and four cat deaths.
Why this matters beyond the dog's bowl
One reason raw pet-food contamination gets serious attention is that the person feeding the dog can be exposed too.
A dog doesn't necessarily have to appear sick to carry and spread certain bacteria. Contamination can potentially move from food to bowls, countertops, hands and other surfaces.
The FDA previously warned consumers about certain Darwin's products in July 2025 after testing associated with a household investigation.
According to the FDA, a four-year-old child developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, in 2024. The family's dog was being fed Darwin's pet food.
Third-party testing later detected E. coli O157:H7 in an unopened package of the family's dog food. FDA reported that genetic testing found the bacterial strain in the food matched the strain detected in the child.
That does not mean every package of raw food is contaminated. It does explain why food-handling precautions matter.
Do you have Darwin's food in your freezer?
Don't panic and don't throw away every raw product simply because you feed raw. Check what you actually have.
The FDA's July 2025 advisory specifically identified several Darwin's lots, including BioLogics beef and chicken recipes and a Natural Selections duck recipe.
Because these products are frozen, the FDA warned that older packages could remain inside customers' freezers long after purchase.
If the FDA identifies your specific lot as one consumers should not feed, follow the agency's disposal and cleaning instructions.
What does the company say?
Gary Tashjian, Arrow Reliance's president and founder, pushed back on the government's claims in a statement reported by Feedstuffs. "We strongly disagree with the FDA's recent claims and intend to vigorously defend our ability to continue making safe, high-quality raw pet food," Tashjian said. "We have always taken compliance with the FDA's food safety requirements seriously and have rigorous manufacturing and sourcing standards in place to ensure the quality of our products. In the meantime, we remain squarely focused on our top priorities: supporting the health and wellbeing of the pets we serve."
This is not the company's first fight with FDA. In 2022, Arrow Reliance sued the agency after it published a public warning about Salmonella in Darwin's raw pet food following a kitten's death, arguing FDA lacked the authority to issue that warning without a formal recall. A federal court dismissed the case, ruling that a non-binding agency press release did not qualify as a reviewable final agency action.
What if you feed another raw-food brand?
This lawsuit is about Arrow Reliance and Darwin's. It should not be treated as evidence that every raw-food manufacturer has the same problems.
Still, it is a good reminder to keep raw pet food separated from food meant for people. Wash your hands after handling it. Clean the dog's bowl and food-preparation surfaces. Be particularly careful in homes with children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system.
And don't depend on social media for recall information. Check the FDA directly.
What happens next?
The government is seeking a permanent injunction. In simple terms, federal officials are asking the court to restrict the defendants from continuing certain pet-food operations unless the company complies with federal law and addresses the conditions outlined in the complaint.
The lawsuit now has to work through the court.
That distinction matters. The Justice Department has made serious allegations, but the allegations still have to be addressed through the legal process. As of September 15, 2026, the case remains pending, and no trial date or ruling has been issued.
For dog parents, however, you don't have to wait for a court ruling to do something practical. Check the food in your freezer. Check the lot numbers. Wash your hands and the surfaces where your dog's food is prepared.
And when a food-safety story starts circulating online, go back to the FDA or another primary source before deciding what it means for your dog.
That's what Daily Doggy News will continue doing: cutting through the noise and getting you to the information that actually matters.
Sources & further reading
U.S. Department of Justice — August 11, 2026 announcement
Federal Complaint for Permanent Injunction — filed August 7, 2026
FDA — Darwin's Natural Pet Products advisory
FDA — Arrow Reliance warning letter, February 16, 2023
FDA — Arrow Reliance warning letter, April 2, 2018
PetfoodIndustry — DOJ lawsuit coverage, August 2026
Food Safety News — complaint coverage, August 14, 2026
CourtListener — Arrow Reliance Inc. v. Woodcock (2022 dismissal)
