DOJ sues Washington pet food manufacturer over safety violations

The complaint against Arrow Reliance Inc, doing business as Darwin's Natural Pet Products, alleges the company continued manufacturing and distributing pet food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria despite repeated FDA warnings spanning nearly a decade.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil complaint on August 7, 2026, seeking to permanently enjoin Gary T. Tashjian and his Tukwila, Washington-based business, Arrow Reliance Inc—doing business as Darwin's Natural Pet Products—from manufacturing and selling adulterated pet food.¹

The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleges the company violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by failing to follow federally required preventive controls and allowing its uncooked pet food products to become adulterated.

A potential pattern of contamination

According to the complaint, FDA investigators found pathogenic bacteria including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes (L mono), and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in finished Arrow Reliance pet food samples collected between 2017 and 2025. In 2024, FDA investigators also detected Salmonella at the company's Tukwila manufacturing facility.

Infections from these pathogens can cause diarrhea and vomiting in otherwise healthy adults, but the DOJ noted that vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals, face a risk of more serious outcomes, including death. L mono infection can also cause stillbirths and miscarriages.

“Pet food manufacturers must ensure the safety of their products,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the DOJ's Civil Division, in the release.¹ “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 insanitary conditions.”

FDA has flagged Darwin's products for bacterial contamination before. In September 2025, the agency issued an advisory after a sample of the company's BioLogics All-Natural & Grain-Free Beef Recipe for Dogs tested positive for L mono, with a second sample testing positive for both L mono and Salmonella. FDA said at the time that Arrow Reliance had not provided sufficient documentation showing the 2 affected lots had been removed from the marketplace.²

A child's illness

The complaint alleges Arrow Reliance's products have repeatedly sickened consumers over several years. In 2024, a 4-year-old child developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare, serious condition that destroys red blood cells, lowers platelet counts, and damages kidney function, after contracting a STEC infection, and the family's dog had been fed Arrow Reliance pet food.³ Third-party laboratory testing of the family's unopened product confirmed the presence of both Salmonella and STEC.

“Every American pet owner deserves confidence that the food they feed their animals is safe and will not pose health risks to their families,” said Timothy Schell, PhD, director of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, in the release.¹ “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.”

What the lawsuit seeks

Arrow Reliance's pet food products are distributed nationwide, according to the complaint. The government's lawsuit seeks an injunction requiring Tashjian and Arrow Reliance to implement sanitation improvements and comply with preventive controls regulations and other federal food safety requirements before resuming manufacturing or distribution of any pet food products. The complaint notes that the allegations must still be proven by a preponderance of the evidence should the case proceed to trial.

References

1. Justice Department files complaint to stop Washington firm from manufacturing and selling adulterated food products. News release. US Department of Justice. August 11, 2026. Accessed August 11, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-complaint-stop-washington-firm-manufacturing-and-selling-0
2. Bautista-Alejandre A. FDA warns of Listeria, Salmonella in Darwin's raw dog food. dvm360. September 25, 2025. Accessed August 11, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/fda-warns-of-listeria-salmonella-in-darwins-raw-dog-food
3. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Mayo Clinic. September 12, 2025. Accessed August 11, 2026. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20352399