Justice Department Files Complaint to Stop Washington Firm from Manufacturing and Selling Adulterated Food Products

The United States filed a complaint seeking to permanently enjoin a Washington state pet food manufacturer from manufacturing and selling adulterated pet food. In a civil complaint for permanent injunction, filed on Aug. 7, the United States alleges that Gary T. Tashjian, through his business, Arrow Reliance Inc., also doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by failing to follow preventive controls requirements and causing uncooked pet food to become adulterated. “Pet food manufacturers must ensure the safety of their products,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “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.” “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, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. “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.” The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleges FDA found the presence of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) , and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in the company’s finished pet food products in samples collected from 2017 through 2025. In 2024, FDA investigators also found Salmonella in the company’s Tukwila facility. Infections from L. mono , Salmonella, or STECcan cause symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting in healthy adults. For vulnerable consumers — including pregnant women, the elderly, and the immune-compromised — L. mono , Salmonella, and STEC can each cause more serious effects including death. L. mono can cause stillbirths and miscarriages. The complaint further alleges Arrow Reliance’s products have repeatedly infected consumers over several years. After multiple Arrow Reliance customers complained of humans or pets suffering from health problems, FDA investigators detected the presence of pathogenic bacteria in unopened samples of the company’s product. In 2024, a four-year-old child fell ill with a STEC infection and developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after the family dog was fed Arrow Reliance’s products. Third party laboratory testing of the family’s unopened pet food from Arrow Reliance confirmed the presence of both Salmonella and STEC bacteria. According to the complaint, Arrow Reliance’s pet food products are sold throughout the country. The government’s lawsuit seeks an injunction that would require Tashjian and Arrow Reliance to make sanitation improvements and comply with preventive controls regulations and other federal food safety requirements before making or distributing any more pet food. Trial Attorney David Crockett of the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch is handling the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S Attorney Kayla C. Stahman for the Western District of Washington, and Associate Chief Counsel Rachel E. King of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel. Additional information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch . The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.