The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the company is voluntarily recalling a batch of cat and dog food after random sample testing detected the presence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
Viva Raw, a company that makes USDA-approved raw pet food for dogs and cats, confirmed the recall in a statement posted on its website. Three duck recipe products have been recalled. Viva Duck for Dogs (Shattered), Viva Duck for Dogs (Chunk), and Viva Pure Duck for Dogs and Cats. newsweek Viva Raw has reached out to us for comment via email.
The affected products are from lot 22853, which was first shipped on October 24, 2023, and the last shipment of this lot was distributed on December 6, 2023. Sold in 1 pound bricks of frozen food in clear vacuum packaging. That particular lot was shipped to over 1,500 of his customers. As of this writing, Viva Raw said he had only received one complaint related to the lot.
Viva Raw co-founders Jenn Wu and Zach Ao said in a letter to customers: “Your pet's health has always been Viva's top priority and we have always been committed to creating safe and transparent pet food. We founded this company to change the industry and provide the best pet food available.”
The co-founders further added, “We conduct detailed root cause analyzes at our USDA facility to ensure we continue to exceed the industry's highest food safety standards and continue to push the boundaries of how safe, fresh pet food is produced. I will continue to do so,” he added.
Anyone in possession of products from the lot will be asked to fill out an online response form. Viva will then contact you for a full refund. The company is also asking affected customers to ensure food is destroyed “in a manner that is inaccessible to children, pets, and wildlife.”
“Avoid touching contaminated food with bare hands. Wear gloves or use paper towels, then place contaminated food in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it in the garbage,” the company said. “The kitchen and other areas that may have come into contact with the contaminated product should then be disinfected.”
People who are concerned that their pet may be infected with Salmonella or Listeria should be on the lookout for key symptoms such as lethargy, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea.
In some cases, your pet may develop symptoms such as decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Not all pets infected with either will show symptoms, but they can pose a risk as carriers who can infect other animals and humans. Anyone with a pet who has eaten the recalled pet food should contact their veterinarian if they have any concerns.
Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can directly affect the animals that eat the products, but they also pose a risk to humans who handle them. People who are concerned they may have been exposed to Salmonella should watch for symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.
In rare cases, Salmonella can cause more serious illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Anyone who experiences signs of any of these symptoms after handling the product is advised to contact their health care provider.
The simplest and most effective way for pet owners to ensure infection prevention is to wash hands thoroughly after handling pet products and disinfect surfaces exposed to pet products.
Sharakh Makhsumov/Getty
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