Dog walkers see a lot of dogs in their day-to-day. As such, it’s only natural that they start to notice doggy trends.
One New York City dog walker says she noticed something alarming about a single brand of dog food.
‘Stop scrolling and listen to this’
Business owner Jenna Como (@barx_byj) shares a video warning dog owners about The Farmer’s Dog. Her video has more than 119,000 views.
“If you own a dog or you know anyone that owns a dog, please stop scrolling and listen to this really quick,” Como says. “I was just informed that The Farmer’s Dog—you know, the ones that come frozen in a log with your dog’s name on it—yeah, that one has a class action lawsuit right now. This is all alleged, but [it] is basically causing dogs to lose their lives, and … most have pancreatitis now.”
Como says the suit claims the company misled buyers into believing the food is nutritious.
She says, “really it is extremely caloric, and fatty foods like that cause dogs to have GI issues and can lead to death.” She adds that she’s noticed the ill effects herself.
“I’m a professional dog walker, and I’ve been saying time and time again, every single dog that I have that is on Farmer’s Dog has mucusy poop,” Como says. “Every single dog that I have had that is on this food has some sort of GI issue.”
Como also says veterinarians usually don’t recommend fresh foods, because the smaller companies selling them lack the means to do large, long-term research. She says, “usually veterinarians recommend Purina, Hill’s, or Royal Canin” because they’ve done the necessary research. Ultimately, she urges dog owners to simply be careful.
“Even though this is all alleged, I just stress to you to be careful with what you’re feeding your dog,” Como says. “Do your research and talk to your veterinarian.”
What do experts actually say about the risks of The Farmer’s Dog?
The lawsuit is real, although its claims are quite specific. Trott v. The Farmer’s Dog, Inc. was filed earlier this year in New York. The plaintiff says the company marketed the food as “complete,” “balanced,” and “healthy” while burying its high-fat content.
ClassAction.org reported that the suit alleges three of four recipes exceed 25% fat on a dry-matter basis and that high-fat food raises pancreatitis risk. The complaint said the plaintiff’s dog “did not like the food” and did not allege that the dog became ill. None of these legal proceedings appear to hold The Farmer’s Dog responsible for dog deaths.
The Farmer’s Dog called the suit “baseless” in a June 9 post on its site. It said pancreatitis is “a common and idiopathic condition”; that it has seen no evidence of higher rates tied to its recipes; and that its recipes are overseen by “on-staff board-certified nutritionists.”
Vets have voiced their skepticism of The Farmer’s Dog’s marketed healthiness. In February 2023, The Canine Review reported that multiple veterinarians expressed they would “never recommend this food or feed it to [their] dog.”
The American Kennel Club calls high-fat diets “one of the most common triggers” of pancreatitis.
@barx_byj
Subplot News reached out to Como and The Farmer’s Dog via email.
