DOJ sues WA pet food company, claims unsanitary conditions led to repeated contaminations
Aug 12, 2026, 2:08 PM
A bowl of dog food. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Aug. 7, seeking to permanently stop Washington pet food manufacturer Arrow Reliance Inc. and its owner, Gary T. Tashjian, from producing and selling ‘adulterated’ pet food products.
The civil complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleged that the Tukwila-based company violates federal law by “failing to follow preventive controls requirements and causing uncooked pet food to become adulterated.”
Federal regulators allege Arrow Reliance Inc., also doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, failed to implement required preventive food safety controls under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The suit seeks a permanent injunction requiring Tashjian and Arrow Reliance to make sanitation improvements and satisfy federal safety standards before manufacturing or distributing any further pet food.
According to the complaint, Food and Drug Administration testing of finished pet food products collected between 2017 and 2025 revealed contamination with pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. FDA investigators also detected Salmonella inside the company’s Tukwila facility during a 2024 inspection.
Federal authorities alleged the company’s products repeatedly infected consumers over several years. In 2024, a 4-year-old child suffered an E. coli infection and developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after exposure to pet food given to the family dog. Independent laboratory tests on unopened pet food packages from the family’s home confirmed the presence of both Salmonella and E. coli bacteria.
Bacterial infections from Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, or E. coli cause symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting in healthy adults. These pathogens can cause severe complications or death in vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Exposure to Listeria monocytogenes can also result in miscarriages and stillbirths.
“Pet food manufacturers must ensure the safety of their products,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, head of the Civil Division, said. “Given the high likelihood that consumers will come into direct contact with pet food products, the Department of Justice will continue to work closely with FDA and take action against food manufacturers that operate under unsanitary conditions.”
Food safety regulators noted that legal action followed multiple unaddressed warnings.
“Every American pet owner deserves confidence that the food they feed their animals is safe and will not pose health risks to their families,” Dr. Timothy Schell, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said. “Despite repeated FDA warnings, this company continues to manufacture and distribute products contaminated with harmful bacteria. When a company does not take responsibility for product safety, FDA will intervene to protect public health.”
