A $5.5 million class action settlement has been approved to compensate pet owners whose dogs and cats became ill from salmonella-contaminated pet food manufactured by Mid America Pet Food. The settlement provides compensation for documented veterinary expenses up to $100,000, as well as fixed payments for pet illness or death without requiring medical documentation.
Pet owners who purchased affected products—including Victor, Wayne Feeds, Eagle Mountain, and Member’s Mark brands manufactured at the Mount Pleasant, Texas facility between October 31, 2022 and February 29, 2024—may be eligible to file claims. The settlement received final court approval on February 6, 2026, but payment processing has been delayed due to a notice of appeal filed on March 4, 2026.
Table of Contents
- What Brands and Products Were Recalled in the Mid America Pet Food Salmonella Contamination?
- How Many People and Pets Were Sickened by the Salmonella Contamination?
- What Compensation Is Available in the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
- How Do You File a Claim in the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
- What Important Limitations Apply to This Settlement?
- What Should You Know About the Recall Timeline and FDA Investigation?
- What Does This Settlement Mean for Pet Food Safety Going Forward?
What Brands and Products Were Recalled in the Mid America Pet Food Salmonella Contamination?
The recall affected multiple pet food brands manufactured at a single facility in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Contaminated products included Victor Super Premium Dog and Cat Food, Wayne Feeds Dog and Cat Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food, and various Member’s Mark Pet Food products sold at Sam’s Club. All affected products carried best-by dates before October 31, 2024, though the recall period for eligible claims extended back to October 31, 2022.
The manufacturer voluntarily initiated the recall on October 30, 2023, and expanded it on November 9, 2023, after the FDA and CDC began investigating cases of human salmonella infection linked to the contaminated pet food. The FDA conducted a facility inspection from November 2 through December 18, 2023, followed by a follow-up inspection from January 23 through February 9, 2024. If your pet food came from this facility during the specified window, you may qualify for compensation even if your pet showed no signs of illness.
How Many People and Pets Were Sickened by the Salmonella Contamination?
The FDA and CDC documented seven confirmed human cases of Salmonella Kiambu infection linked to the contaminated pet food, with cases reported across seven different states. Notably, six of the seven cases occurred in children under one year of age—a particularly vulnerable population. One person required hospitalization, though no deaths were reported as of November 1, 2023.
The impact on pets was never formally quantified in FDA statements, but the volume of illness complaints drove the recall expansion and the class action lawsuit. The contamination presented an unusual risk because young children often touch pets and then put their hands in their mouths, creating a transmission pathway from contaminated pet food to human illness. This is why compensation is available even if you can’t prove your pet became ill—the risk exposure itself qualified owners for compensation under the settlement terms.
What Compensation Is Available in the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
The settlement offers tiered compensation depending on the type of loss and documentation provided. Pet owners with documented veterinary records, invoices, and receipts for treatment related to the contaminated food can recover up to $100,000 in actual losses. Those without detailed documentation can claim $50 per pet illness or $100 per pet death, making it possible to receive compensation without complex paperwork.
Additionally, the settlement provides 100% reimbursement for documented pet food purchases during the eligible period if you have receipts or proof of purchase. For those without receipts, the settlement allows up to $20 per bag for undocumented purchases, with a maximum of two bags ($40 total). This tiered approach recognizes that many pet owners don’t keep years of receipts but still deserve compensation for their losses and concerns.
How Do You File a Claim in the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
Claims must be filed through the official settlement website at midamericapetfoodsettlement.com, which provides the claims portal and submission deadline information. You’ll need to gather documentation that supports your claim—purchase receipts for the pet food, veterinary invoices if your pet required treatment, and any records showing the best-by date and brand of the product you purchased. Without documentation, you can still claim the fixed amounts ($50 per pet illness, $100 per pet death, $20 per undocumented bag), but having records will unlock the higher compensation for documented losses.
The deadline to submit claims varies based on the type of documentation and whether you’re filing for documented losses or using the fixed claim options. The official settlement website provides the exact deadline, and it’s critical to submit your claim before that date passes—late submissions are typically rejected. Even if your pet never showed symptoms, pet owners from the eligible purchase period are encouraged to file, as the settlement compensates for the exposure and risk itself.
What Important Limitations Apply to This Settlement?
One critical limitation is that Mid America Pet Food has not admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement agreement. This is a common structure in class action settlements, but it means the company’s legal position remains that the contamination was not their fault. The settlement exists to resolve the litigation, not as an admission of liability, which may be important context if you’re evaluating the company’s accountability.
Additionally, payments are currently delayed pending resolution of the appeal filed on March 4, 2026. While the settlement received final approval on February 6, 2026, this appeal could extend the timeline before eligible claimants receive their compensation. You should file your claim as soon as possible, but be aware that payment may not be processed immediately even after your claim is approved.
What Should You Know About the Recall Timeline and FDA Investigation?
The FDA’s investigation of the Mount Pleasant, Texas facility identified manufacturing deficiencies that contributed to the contamination. The inspection reports (available through the FDA’s warning letter issued in November 2024) detail specific conditions that allowed salmonella to persist in the facility. The company was given the opportunity to remediate these issues, and subsequent inspections were conducted to verify compliance.
Understanding the timeline matters because it affects which products qualify for claims. The voluntary recall began October 30, 2023, but the eligible purchase period extended back to October 31, 2022—meaning products purchased up to a year before the recall was announced may still qualify. This retroactive coverage ensures that pet owners who purchased contaminated food months earlier, before they had any way of knowing about the risk, can still recover compensation.
What Does This Settlement Mean for Pet Food Safety Going Forward?
This settlement highlights the vulnerability in pet food supply chain oversight and the risks posed by facility-level contamination. The Mount Pleasant facility was the manufacturing source for multiple brands sold under different labels—a common practice in the pet food industry where a single manufacturer may produce products for multiple retailers and brand names. This consolidated manufacturing means that a contamination event at one facility can affect far more pet owners than they initially realize.
The settlement and recall also underscore the importance of checking pet food recalls regularly and keeping purchase records. Pet owners who saved receipts or had strong purchase documentation recovered higher compensation amounts. Moving forward, the pet food industry continues to be regulated by the FDA, but incidents like this one demonstrate that preventive oversight requires diligent manufacturers and informed consumers who monitor for recalls.