Purina lawsuits over the past decade have ranged from product-safety class actions to a neighborhood fight over factory odors in Denver. Most of the product cases filed against the Nestlé-owned pet food company have been dismissed or settled without any admission of liability, but at least two class actions remain active as of mid-2025: a nuisance suit over emissions from the company’s Denver plant and a consumer case challenging “natural” labeling on dozens of Purina products.
Denver Factory Odor Class Action
The most active Purina litigation centers on the company’s pet food plant at 4555 York Street in Denver’s Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, which has operated there since 1930. Residents filed an initial class action on May 28, 2024, in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, calling the plant an “odiferous nuisance” and alleging Nestlé Purina had failed to maintain odor-control equipment. The complaint sought damages for residents within a one-mile radius.1ClassAction.org. Nestlé Purina Hit With Class Action Over Noxious Odors From Denver Pet Food Facility That suit was dismissed on May 28, 2025, at the request of the remaining plaintiff, with no public reason given.2CBS News Colorado. Lawsuit Against Denver’s Nestlé Purina Plant Over Stench in Community
A week later, on June 4, 2025, the same Michigan-based law firm, Liddle Sheets, refiled on behalf of four new plaintiffs led by Cole Guffey. The new complaint covers an estimated 2,000 households within a mile of the plant and makes nearly identical claims: emissions prevent residents from renting out apartments, hosting gatherings, or using their backyards, and cause headaches, nausea, and burning in the eyes and throat.3Denver Post. Purina Pet Food Plant Smell Denver Lawsuit Residents have described the odor as “burning meat,” “baked vomit,” or a “rotting carcass.”4Denver7. New Lawsuit Filed Against Denver Purina Pet Food Factory for Rotting Carcass Odor
The complaints cite regulatory history. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment found odor samples at more than double the state’s regulatory threshold and issued a $7,000 fine, and the city of Denver fined the plant $12,000 in October 2021 for repeated emissions violations.3Denver Post. Purina Pet Food Plant Smell Denver Lawsuit Nestlé Purina has said it is “a proud member of the Denver community” and “committed to being the best neighbor we can be,” while declining to comment on the specifics of pending litigation.2CBS News Colorado. Lawsuit Against Denver’s Nestlé Purina Plant Over Stench in Community
Beneful “Toxic Dog Food” Case
The highest-profile product case against Purina was Frank Lucido, et al. v. Nestle Purina PetCare Co. (Case No. 3:15-cv-00569), filed in February 2015 in the Northern District of California. California resident Frank Lucido alleged that after he began feeding his three dogs Beneful dry kibble in late December 2014, two became violently ill and his English bulldog, Dozer, died in January 2015 with internal bleeding and liver lesions found on post-mortem.5NBC Bay Area. Discovery Bay Man Sues Purina After His Dogs Die, Get Sick The suit alleged harmful levels of propylene glycol and mycotoxins, cited more than 3,000 online complaints from pet owners, and sought over $5 million in damages.6CBS News Baltimore. Lawsuit Filed Against Purina Claims Food Sickens, Kills Dogs
Purina called the lawsuit “baseless” and noted that the FDA had approved propylene glycol for use in human food and animal feed, and that two earlier class actions over Beneful had already been dismissed.7NBC News. Lawsuit Claims Purina’s Beneful Dog Food Poisoning, Killing Dogs In November 2016, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen granted summary judgment for Purina, excluding the plaintiffs’ animal toxicologist as an unreliable expert and finding the case had “no evidentiary support.”8Top Class Actions. Purina Defeats Toxic Beneful Dog Food Class Action Lawsuit The claim tied to Dozer’s death was dropped after it was determined the dog had died from a heart tumor.9Pet Food Industry. Purina Beneful Sick Dog Lawsuit Lacked Proof, Said Judge
Waggin’ Train Jerky Treats Settlement
The one major Purina case that ended with consumer payouts involved Waggin’ Train chicken jerky treats made in China. Pet owners sued Nestlé Purina and its Waggin’ Train subsidiary in 2012 in Adkins v. Nestle Purina Petcare Co. (Case No. 1:12-cv-02871), alleging the treats sickened or killed dogs.10Bloomberg Law. $6.5M Nestlé Purina Settlement Over Dog Treats Gets Early Approval
In May 2014, Purina agreed to a $6.5 million settlement fund without admitting the treats caused any illnesses. Pet owners with documentation of veterinary bills could recover 100% of their reasonable economic damages, and owners without documentation could receive up to $300.11VIN News. Nestlé Purina Settles Jerky Lawsuit for $6.5 Million The deal also required Purina to batch-test treats for contaminants like salmonella and melamine, audit ingredient supply chains, and enlarge the font on “Product of China” packaging labels.12DVM360. Nestlé Purina Settles Jerky Lawsuit for $6.5 Million
“Natural” Labeling Class Action
Filed in October 2023 in the Southern District of New York, Pietres et al. v. Nestle Purina Petcare Co. (Case No. 7:23-cv-08959) alleges Purina falsely markets dozens of products as “natural” when they contain synthetic ingredients such as zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, and pyridoxine hydrochloride. The complaint covers Purina Cat Chow, Purina ONE, Beyond, and Fancy Feast products and asserts breach of warranty, unjust enrichment, and violations of New York consumer protection law.13Top Class Actions. Nestlé Purina Class Action Claims Natural Pet Foods Contain Synthetic Ingredients As of mid-2025, the case is listed as in progress.14Pet Food Industry. Purina Faces Lawsuit Over Natural Claims on Dog, Cat Food
Other Dismissed Consumer Cases
Two other class actions filed in recent years were dismissed before any ruling on the merits. In March 2020, Jacquin et al. v. Nestle Purina PetCare Company (Case No. 4:20-cv-00467) alleged Purina knowingly sold pet food containing glyphosate across fourteen products, including varieties of Beneful, Dog Chow, Cat Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, and Friskies. The parties dismissed the case on November 1, 2021, with no public settlement.15ClassAction.org. Purina Pet Food Products Contain Known Carcinogen, Class Action Lawsuit Claims
In November 2023, Kueck et al. v. Nestle Purina Petcare Company (Case No. 4:23-cv-05962) was filed in the Northern District of California alleging that Purina’s pet food packaging contained PFAS, or “forever chemicals.” The complaint cited independent testing that reportedly found 244.7 parts per billion of total PFAS in Cat Chow Complete packaging.16Top Class Actions. Nestlé Purina Class Action Alleges Pet Food Packaging Contains PFAS The plaintiff later voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.
FDA Investigation of 2023–2024 Illness Reports
Separate from the lawsuits, the FDA received roughly 1,300 adverse event reports between November 2023 and April 2024 from pet owners linking illnesses to Purina products, including gastrointestinal, neurological, and liver and kidney problems. Of those, 107 contained enough detail for the agency to follow up. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request indicated the FDA received 1,705 reports of sick pets and 206 reports of pet deaths linked to Purina products between February and June 2024.17FDA. Summary of Purina Pet Food Adverse Event Reports
Sealed product samples pulled from store shelves tested negative for mycotoxins, heavy metals, and bacterial pathogens. Some open samples provided by pet owners tested positive for Bacillus cereus, but whole-genome sequencing showed the strains were unrelated, suggesting no common source in the food. The FDA inspected Purina’s Clinton, Iowa, plant in late April and early May 2024 and issued a single Form 483 citation for failure to reanalyze the facility’s food safety plan after becoming aware of the complaints. The agency concluded the evidence “does not identify a public health concern” and found no direct or consistent connection between the reported illnesses and Purina pet food. No recall was issued as a result.17FDA. Summary of Purina Pet Food Adverse Event Reports
Recent Recalls
Purina has not issued any recall tied to the lawsuits or the FDA adverse event investigation. The most notable recent voluntary recall came in February 2023, when Purina pulled Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental prescription dry dog food over potentially elevated vitamin D levels caused by a supplier error. The recall initially covered seven production lots and was expanded in March 2023 after the company received reports of two confirmed cases of vitamin D toxicity in dogs.18Nestlé Purina PetCare. Nestlé Purina Voluntarily Recalls Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental Dry Dog Food19FDA. FDA Bulletin on Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Recall Expansion As of mid-2025, there are no active Purina recalls.