If you purchased Victor Super Premium, Wayne Feeds, Eagle Mountain, or Member’s Mark pet food products that were recalled due to Salmonella contamination in 2023, you have until February 5, 2026 to file a claim in the $5.5 million Mid America Pet Food settlement. The process is straightforward — you can submit your claim online at midamericapetfoodsettlement.com or by mail, and you don’t even need a receipt to collect up to $40 for undocumented food purchases. If your pet got sick or died after eating the contaminated food, the potential payout is significantly higher, reaching up to $100,000 for fully documented pet injury claims. This settlement resolves the class action lawsuit *Filardi v. Mid-America Pet Food, LLC* (Case No.
23-cv-11170-NSR), filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case alleged that Mid America Pet Food, LLC — a manufacturer based in Mount Pleasant, Texas — sold pet food contaminated with Salmonella and misled consumers about the safety of its products. The FDA and CDC investigation tied to this recall identified seven human Salmonella Kiambu infections linked to the pet food, and six of those seven cases involved children age one or younger. Below, we break down exactly who qualifies, how much you could receive, and what steps to take before the deadline passes.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Mid America Pet Food Salmonella Recall Settlement and Why Does the February 5 Deadline Matter?
- Who Qualifies for the Mid America Pet Food Settlement Payout?
- How Much Money Can You Get From the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
- How to File Your Claim Before the February 5, 2026 Deadline
- Common Pitfalls and Limitations of the Mid America Pet Food Settlement
- The Salmonella Health Risks Behind This Recall
- What Happens After the February 5 Deadline and Final Approval
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Mid America Pet Food Salmonella Recall Settlement and Why Does the February 5 Deadline Matter?
In September, October, and November of 2023, Mid america Pet Food issued multiple voluntary recalls after the FDA found Salmonella contamination at its Mount Pleasant, Texas manufacturing facility. A total of 35 dog and cat food products were pulled from shelves nationwide, spanning four brands: Victor Super Premium Dog and Cat Food, Wayne Feeds Dog and Cat Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food, and Member’s Mark pet foods. All recalled products had best-by dates before October 31, 2024. The resulting class action led to a $5.5 million settlement fund designed to compensate consumers who bought these products. The February 5, 2026 deadline is the last day to submit a claim form. This is not the same as the exclusion or objection deadline, which already passed on January 6, 2026.
If you missed the opt-out window, you’re still part of the settlement class and can file a claim — but only if you act before February 5. One day later, on February 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM, the court will hold a Final Approval Hearing via Webex Teleconference. Once final approval is granted, no new claims will be accepted, and the settlement administrator will begin processing payments. For context, consider a pet owner who bought two bags of Victor dog food from a local retailer in early 2023 but threw away the receipts. That person can still file an undocumented claim for $20 per bag — $40 total — simply by signing a declaration under penalty of perjury. There is no complex verification process for these smaller claims, which makes the February 5 deadline all the more important to act on rather than procrastinate.
Who Qualifies for the Mid America Pet Food Settlement Payout?
Eligibility covers any U.S. consumer who purchased at least one affected Mid America Pet Food product during the period from October 31, 2022 through February 29, 2024. The specific products are listed in Exhibit D of the settlement agreement, available on the official settlement website. This means you don’t need to have purchased the product during the exact months of the recall — if you bought any qualifying product within that broader purchase window, you’re included in the class. However, there are scenarios where eligibility gets more detailed. If you purchased a Victor or Wayne Feeds product that was not among the 35 recalled items, you would not qualify.
Similarly, if you bought a recalled product but your purchase date falls outside the October 2022 to February 2024 window, your claim won’t be valid. It’s worth checking the specific product list on midamericapetfoodsettlement.com before filing. The settlement covers products sold under Victor Super Premium, Wayne Feeds, Eagle Mountain, and Member’s Mark brand names, but not every SKU under those brands was necessarily part of the recall. If you already opted out of the settlement before the January 6, 2026 exclusion deadline, you gave up your right to file a claim but preserved your ability to pursue an individual lawsuit. There is no way to reverse an opt-out after the deadline. For the vast majority of consumers who did not opt out, filing a claim before February 5 is the only remaining action to take.
How Much Money Can You Get From the Mid America Pet Food Settlement?
The settlement establishes four tiers of compensation depending on the type and documentation of your claim. At the lowest tier, consumers who bought recalled food but have no receipt can claim $20 per bag for up to two bags, maxing out at $40. If you kept your receipts, invoices, shipping confirmations, or order emails, you can claim 100% of the purchase price you actually paid. The difference between these two tiers can be significant — a consumer who stocked up on multiple large bags of Victor Super Premium at $50 or $60 each could recover hundreds of dollars with proper documentation. For pet injury claims, the numbers get substantially larger. If your pet became ill or died after consuming the recalled food and you have veterinary records, medical bills, and other documentation, you can recover up to 100% of your approved documented losses, capped at $100,000.
This tier covers veterinary treatment costs, diagnostic testing, and related expenses. On the other hand, if your pet got sick but you lack documentation — perhaps you didn’t take the animal to a vet — you can still file a declaration-only claim for $50 per pet that became ill or $100 per pet that died. To put this into perspective, imagine a household that bought three bags of recalled Eagle Mountain cat food at $35 each and also had a cat that developed gastrointestinal illness requiring a $900 vet visit. With receipts and vet records, they could potentially recover $105 in food costs plus $900 in veterinary expenses. Without any documentation, they’d be limited to $40 for two bags of food plus $50 for the sick cat — $90 total. Documentation makes a dramatic difference.
How to File Your Claim Before the February 5, 2026 Deadline
Filing a claim is available through two methods: online or by mail. The online portal at midamericapetfoodsettlement.com walks you through the process step by step, and for most people this will be the faster and more reliable option. Mailed claims must be postmarked by February 5, 2026, so if you’re cutting it close, the online option eliminates any postal delay risk. For undocumented food purchase claims, the process is minimal. You provide your name, contact information, identify which product you purchased, and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury confirming the purchase. No proof of purchase is required.
For documented claims — where you want the full purchase price rather than the $20-per-bag flat rate — you’ll need to upload or attach copies of receipts, invoices, shipping orders, or confirmation emails. The tradeoff is clear: documented claims pay more but require more effort to prepare. If you bought pet food online, check your email archives for order confirmations, as these typically serve as valid proof of purchase. Pet injury claims require additional information, including details about your pet’s illness or death and any supporting veterinary documentation. If you have vet bills, treatment summaries, or even a letter from your veterinarian, include everything. The more thorough your supporting evidence, the stronger your claim. For declaration-only pet injury claims where you lack documentation, you’ll still need to provide a sworn statement describing what happened to your pet.
Common Pitfalls and Limitations of the Mid America Pet Food Settlement
One warning worth emphasizing: all claim payments are subject to pro rata adjustment. If the total amount of approved claims exceeds the $5.5 million settlement fund after fees and administrative costs are deducted, individual payouts will be reduced proportionally. This means the $20-per-bag figure and the 100% purchase price reimbursement are maximum amounts, not guarantees. In large consumer class actions, the actual payout can shrink if claim volume is high. Another limitation involves the $100,000 cap on documented pet injury claims. While that figure may sound generous, families who incurred extensive emergency veterinary care, surgery, or long-term treatment for a seriously ill pet could find the cap insufficient.
The settlement also does not explicitly cover emotional distress or pain and suffering related to a pet’s illness or death — it’s focused on documented economic losses. If your total out-of-pocket veterinary costs exceeded $100,000, the settlement caps your recovery regardless of your actual expenses. Finally, be cautious about third-party websites offering to file claims on your behalf for a fee. The official claims process is free and designed to be completed without legal assistance. The settlement website at midamericapetfoodsettlement.com is administered by Angeion Group, the court-appointed settlement administrator. There is no reason to pay anyone to file what amounts to a simple online form.
The Salmonella Health Risks Behind This Recall
The FDA and CDC investigation into this recall found seven confirmed human Salmonella Kiambu infections linked to Mid America Pet Food products. What made this outbreak particularly alarming was the vulnerability of those affected — six of the seven confirmed cases involved children age one or younger.
Infants and toddlers face heightened risk from Salmonella exposure because they often come into contact with pet food bowls, feeding areas, and pets themselves, and their immune systems are less equipped to fight off the infection. This context matters for settlement claimants because it underscores the seriousness of the contamination. If anyone in your household experienced gastrointestinal illness, fever, or other symptoms consistent with Salmonella infection during the period when recalled products were in use, it may be worth consulting a medical professional and documenting the incident — even if you’re primarily filing a product purchase or pet injury claim.
What Happens After the February 5 Deadline and Final Approval
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for February 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM via Webex Teleconference. At this hearing, the court will review the settlement terms, consider any remaining objections, and decide whether to grant final approval. Assuming the settlement is approved, the claims administrator will begin reviewing and processing submitted claims.
Distribution timelines in class action settlements can vary, but claimants should generally expect to wait several months after final approval before receiving payment. Looking ahead, this settlement may influence how pet food manufacturers handle contamination events and voluntary recalls. The $5.5 million price tag, combined with reputational damage to the Victor and Wayne Feeds brands, sends a signal that consumers and the legal system take pet food safety seriously. For pet owners, the broader takeaway is to keep purchase records and pay attention to FDA recall notices — documentation today could mean meaningful compensation if something goes wrong tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a receipt to file a claim in the Mid America Pet Food settlement?
No. You can file an undocumented claim for $20 per bag, up to two bags ($40 maximum), by signing a declaration under penalty of perjury. However, if you have receipts or order confirmations, you can claim 100% of the purchase price.
Which pet food brands are covered by this settlement?
The settlement covers Victor Super Premium Dog and Cat Food, Wayne Feeds Dog and Cat Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food, and Member’s Mark pet foods — specifically the 35 products recalled in September through November 2023.
What if my pet got sick but I didn’t take them to the vet?
You can still file a declaration-only pet injury claim for $50 per pet that became ill or $100 per pet that died. Fully documented claims with veterinary records can recover up to $100,000 in approved losses.
Can I still opt out of the settlement?
No. The exclusion deadline was January 6, 2026. If you did not opt out by that date, you remain part of the settlement class and can file a claim, but you cannot pursue an individual lawsuit against Mid America Pet Food for the claims covered by this settlement.
When will I receive my settlement payment?
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for February 6, 2026. If the court grants approval, payment processing will follow, but distribution typically takes several months after final approval in class action settlements.
Is there a cost to file a claim?
No. Filing a claim is completely free through the official settlement website at midamericapetfoodsettlement.com. Be wary of any third-party service that charges a fee to file on your behalf.
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