Updated October 12, 2023

Fast Facts

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw cat and dog food, made by Arrow Reliance Inc., after FDA samples from the lots listed below tested positive for Salmonella. 
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs, Lot 9774, manufactured on Jun 13, 2023.
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9795, manufactured on Jun 28, 2023.
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9830, manufactured on Jul 19, 2023.
• After receiving a consumer complaint, FDA collected and tested a sample of an additional product, confirming the presence of Salmonella in the additional product lot. Therefore, as of October 12, 2023, the FDA is also cautioning pet owners about the lot below:
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9802, manufactured on Jul 7, 2023.
• The products are in white and clear plastic packages. The dog food has blue labeling, and the cat food has blue and green labeling. Each package weighs two pounds and consists of four separate units. The lot codes are printed on the front of the lower left unit of the package.  
• If you have these lots of pet food from Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, or you can’t be sure of the lot code of the products you have, throw them away. Do not feed them to your pets.
• The FDA is issuing this advisory because these lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products cat and dog food pose a significant risk to human and animal health.
• Salmonella can affect both human and animal health. People with symptoms of Salmonella infection should consult their health care providers. Consult a veterinarian if your pet has symptoms of Salmonella infection. 

What is the problem?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products because product samples from these lots tested positive for Salmonella. 

These products are Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs, Lot 9774, manufactured on June 13, 2023; Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9795, manufactured on June 28, 2023; and Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9830, manufactured on July 19, 2023.

October 12, 2023 update: After receiving a consumer complaint, FDA collected and tested a sample of the product, confirming the presence of Salmonella in an additional product lot: Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9802, manufactured on Jul 7, 2023.

These products are manufactured by Arrow Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, and are sold online. 

Why is the FDA issuing this advisory?

The FDA is issuing this advisory because these lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products cat and dog food pose a significant risk to human and animal health. Because these products are sold and stored frozen, the FDA is concerned that people may still have them in their possession and feed them to their pets. 

The FDA recommended that Arrow Reliance Inc. voluntarily recall these products and notify the public, but the company has not yet done so.

What do I need to do?

If you have any of the Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections cat or dog foods listed above, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it. 

Consumers who have had this product in their homes should clean refrigerators/freezers where the product was stored and clean and disinfect all bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, litter boxes, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with. Clean up the pet’s feces in places where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.

What is Salmonella and what are the symptoms of Salmonella infection?

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause illness and death in humans and animals, especially those who are very young, very old, or have weak immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people infected with Salmonella can develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Most people recover without treatment, but in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream and then to other body sites unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. Consult your health care provider if you have symptoms of Salmonella infection.

Pets do not always display symptoms when infected with Salmonella, but signs can include vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite and/or decreased activity level. If your pet has these symptoms, consult a veterinarian promptly. You should also be aware that infected pets can shed the bacteria in their feces without showing signs of being sick.

Why is the FDA concerned about Salmonella in pet food?

Pet foods contaminated with Salmonella are of particular public health importance because they can affect both human and animal health. Pets can get sick from Salmonella and may also be carriers of the bacteria and pass it on to their human companions without appearing to be ill. The FDA is aware of cases in which humans and/or animals have gotten sick from exposure to Salmonella-contaminated pet foods (Salmonella-human cases, Salmonella-kitten, Salmonella-kitten, dog). 

Once Salmonella gets established in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the animal can shed the bacteria when it has a bowel movement, and the contamination can continue to spread. Because animals can shed the bacteria when they have bowel movements, it’s particularly important to clean up the animal’s feces in yards or parks where people or other animals may become exposed, in addition to cleaning items in the home.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. Refrigeration or freezing does not kill Salmonella. Pet owners who choose to feed raw pet food should be aware of the risks associated with these products. 

How can I report a pet illness?

People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN Network) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella. 

The FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

For More Information:

• Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet
• Get the Facts about Salmonella
• Salmonella (Salmonellosis)