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Capabilities / Companion Animal Health

Companion Animal Health

Our team handles virtually all legal and regulatory challenges faced by companies in the petfood and pet products industry.

Husch Blackwell provides clients engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of petfood and pet products a comprehensive legal and strategic resource to tackle their toughest business challenges and to manage risk.

Our team is capable of addressing legal and regulatory issues from laboratory to store shelf and covers multiple legal practice areas and brings industry-specific knowledge to every representation. For both established and emerging companies, we advise on corporate finance, corporate transactions, and governance issues. Our litigation and regulatory lawyers counsel clients in connection with commercial litigation, class actions, and government investigations and enforcement actions. We routinely handle:

  • Intellectual property law;
  • Labeling, advertising, and marketing claims, including all aspects of litigation in connection with claims of false or misleading advertising;
  • Commercial litigation, including contract disputes;
  • Commercial contracting, including white label, private label, and contract manufacturing;
  • Product recalls and product liability disputes;
  • Regulatory aspects pertaining to corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances;
  • Corporate restructuring; and
  • Data privacy.

We also bring a host of targeted practice areas—like our Cannabis law team and our State Attorneys General practice—to bear on representations involving highly specific areas of law. In all matters, our companion animal health clients benefit from Husch Blackwell’s nationwide network of lawyers and our ability to develop customized teams capable of addressing the complex, interlocking issues faced by industry participants.

Representative Experience

  • Secured complete and final dismissal on the merits of a putative class action for Compana Pet Brands (Manna Pro Products LLC), a leading animal care and nutrition company, in connection with its Nutri-Vet Hip & Joint supplements (glucosamine/chondroitin) for dogs concerning claims of false or misleading labels and deceptive advertising practices. Perry v. Manna Pro Products, LLC, E.D.Mo., Case No. 4:22-cv-00127-AGF.
  • Represented defendant in trademark and trade dress infringement case in the U.S. District for the Northern District of California involving packaging and color combinations used for packaging pet care products.
  • Assisted animal health company in reviewing safety, labeling, and marketing of flea and tick products, including EPA minimum risk pesticides.
  • Counseled brand management company on risk of licensing brands on CBD and industrial hemp containing cosmetics, pet treats, and dietary supplements.
  • Counseled animal health companies on advertising and marketing of animal drug, grooming products, and other pet accessories as "organic,” “cruelty free,” “sustainable,” “natural,” etc.
  • Guided pet food company through recall of salmonella contaminated product and follow up with state and federal regulators on closing of recall.
  • Assist animal feed and pet food companies with nationwide recall of products and handled dispute with supplier and claims/dispute with insurer.
  • Consult with venture capital firm on applicable legal and regulatory framework for cell-based meat products used in human and animal food.
  • Develop FDA, AFFCO, state, and Canadian compliant labels for international animal feed and pet food companies.