A popular pet food has been recalled due to contamination concerns.
Viva Raw, LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, announced it was voluntarily recalling two lots of its dog and cat foods in a press release shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Monday. The recall was issued because the food was potentially contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, two disease-causing bacteria.
The affected products include Viva Ground Beef for Dogs and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies, both with the Lot 21495. Under Lot 21975, four products have been recalled: Viva Ground Chicken for Dogs, Viva Chunked Chicken for Dogs, Viva Chicken for Cats, and Viva Pure Chicken.
The recalled pet food was distributed between July 21, 2025, and August 21, 2025, to consumers nationwide and to select retailers in seven states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, New York, and South Carolina.
Potential contamination for the pet food was identified after routine testing by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. There have been no illnesses in dogs, cats, or humans reported to date.
However, the FDA is still urging pet owners to dispose of the recalled products and contact Viva Raw for a refund.
“Healthy people infected with Salmonella or Listeria should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever,” the company said in an announcement shared by the FDA.
“Rarely, Salmonella and Listeria can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
“Pregnant women are especially susceptible to Listeria infection, which can result in miscarriage. The young, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems are more vulnerable to infection.”
Cats and dogs infected with Salmonella can experience similar symptoms, including fever, loss of appetite, and decreased activity level.
Meanwhile, a listeria infection “can cause invasive illness and intestinal illness” for humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cats and dogs with a listeria infection can also experience vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, killing roughly 260 people per year.
This is just one of many pet foods to be recalled due to contamination concerns in recent years. In April, Blue Ridge Beef recalled lots of its puppy and kitten mixes after discovering they tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria. The recall included over 1,080 pounds of the company’s two-pound logs of Kitten Mix and 1,380 pounds of its two-pound logs of Puppy Mix.
Many foods for humans have also been recalled this year. Earlier this month, the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op facility in Ohio recalled over 5,000 lbs of cheese due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Five different types of cheese, sold in eight-ounce packages, were affected, such as Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese, Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op Horseradish Flavored Cheese, and Copia Collective 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese.