A Portland man has filed a lawsuit against Wild Coast Pet Food, a company located in Olympia, Washington, after his cat died from the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu. The man claims the cat’s death was linked to the company’s raw pet food products.
The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County, accuses Wild Coast Pet Food of misleading customers about the safety of its products and failing to disclose the risks associated with raw chicken. Tim Hanson, the plaintiff, is seeking $7,951.51 in damages, which includes veterinary expenses.
“I’m just really sad. This cat was only four. She had a great life,” Hanson said, reflecting on his cat Kira, who passed away in February.
Hanson adopted Kira and her brother in 2021. He describes Kira as “just a happy little grey cat, just four years old. Very full of energy, very happy.”
In January 2025, Hanson purchased Wild Coast’s raw chicken pet food, as he had always been an advocate for raw pet food and believed in its health benefits. He had recently switched brands to Wild Coast Pet Foods.
“I have traditionally fed my cats raw food whenever possible because I believe in the health benefits of it. Her brother also receives raw food. He also lives in the house,” Hanson said.
In early February, Kira stopped eating. Hanson took her to the vet, but no immediate diagnosis was made. The following day, her brother also stopped eating, prompting Hanson to take both cats to the vet for further evaluation on February 5.
“I took them in, and Kira was getting sick, she was not eating. Very lethargic and that kind of stuff,” he recalled.
The vets suggested testing for avian flu, and a few days later, Hanson received devastating news: Kira had tested positive for the virus. Her condition continued to worsen.
“She continued to decline. Her appetite, her energy, that type of thing. She was in a series of hospital visits and that kind of stuff,” he explained.
On February 9, Kira was euthanized at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital.
More than a month later, Hanson filed a civil lawsuit against Wild Coast Pet Food. The lawsuit alleges that the company falsely advertised its food as “healthy and safe” and did not warn consumers about the risks associated with raw chicken, particularly from states like California and Washington, where bird flu outbreaks have been widespread.
“There will be nothing to bring my Kira back, which ideally is all I want,” Hanson said.
The lawsuit claims Wild Coast continued to promote its raw pet food as USDA-inspected and AAFCO-approved, despite the known risks of raw poultry. Hanson argues that had he been informed about these risks, he would not have purchased the product.
Hanson also believes the company should have taken action sooner to prevent further harm.
“I’m not happy that if they were alerted on the 7th of February that my cat did test positive, I’m very disappointed that it wasn’t recalled immediately,” he said.
On March 1, nearly a month after Kira’s diagnosis, and after reports of other cats contracting the virus, Wild Coast Pet Food voluntarily recalled several raw food products. The company has since switched to using cooked chicken in its products.
Hanson also cited significant medical costs and concerns about the safety of other pets.
“They really should’ve got the word out to help other cats from getting sick and dying,” he said.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture reported that at least one other cat in Multnomah County died after consuming Wild Coast’s raw chicken, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture confirmed at least one cat was euthanized after contracting the virus linked to the company’s food.
“She was one of the earlier ones, and it’s heartbreaking,” Hanson said.
Hanson’s other cat, Kira’s brother, also showed symptoms but was never tested.
“He quit eating for a few days, and the vet didn’t think of testing him; they didn’t think his condition was bad enough. He’s completely normal now,” he said.
Though Hanson still has two other male cats at home, he noted the atmosphere has changed.
“The energy in the house is much different now. I can tell they’re grieving. Things are really quiet in the house,” he shared.
As for future use of raw pet food?
“Never,” Hanson said.
Wild Coast Pet Food did not respond to KGW’s request for a comment regarding the lawsuit.
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