Dynamic Pet Products LLC and Frick’s Meat Products Inc. have agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging they engaged in false and deceptive marketing of the Real Ham Bone for Dogs products.
If you purchased a Real Ham Bone product between Jan. 1, 2011 and May 12, 2017, you may be entitled to benefits from the class action settlement.
Plaintiffs Michael E. Taylor, Dawn R. Fortner and Catherine Gemkow allege the Real Ham Bone products are sold so that the defendants can profit from slaughterhouse waste. The defendants market the Real Ham Bone as a chew product for dogs, according to the class action lawsuit.
"Defendants represent in their advertising and marketing materials that the Real Ham Bone For Dogs is a safe and appropriate product for dogs," the Real Ham Bone class action lawsuit says. "These representations are false and misleading because the product is extremely hazardous to dogs."
According to the Real Ham Bone class action lawsuit, when dogs chew on a Real Ham Bone product, it creates "needle-like shards" that can irritate and possibly puncture the dog’s intestinal tract, causing the dog to suffer severe internal injuries. The plaintiffs also claim the Real Ham Bone products contain bacterial toxins that can cause dogs to become ill and/or die.
"As a result of consuming this product, numerous dogs have experienced vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, internal bleeding, infection and death," the plaintiffs allege in the Real Ham Bone class action lawsuit.
The Real Ham Bone is reportedly an 8-inch pig femur that is brined, smoked and baked in an oven for around eight hours at 130 to 150 degrees Celsius. According to the class action lawsuit, the smoking and baking process causes the bone to dry out and become brittle. When dogs chew on the brittle bone, it can allegedly splinter. When the shards of bones are swallowed, it can cause severe internal injuries.
The plaintiffs claim that their dogs suffered severe, debilitating or fatal illnesses as a result of consuming the defendants’ Real Ham Bone products. Some of the plaintiffs’ dogs required emergency surgery to remove the bone shards from their gastrointestinal tracts after chewing on the Real Ham Bone. The plaintiffs say the products were not worth the price they paid for them.
The Real Ham Bone for Dogs class action lawsuit asserts violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. The plaintiffs sought actual damages, punitive damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment, attorneys’ fees and costs.
The defendants deny the allegations but agreed to settle the Real Ham Bone class action lawsuit to avoid the uncertainty and expense of ongoing litigation.
The Real Ham Bone class action settlement was preliminarily approved on April 19, 2017.
If you would like to exclude yourself from or object to the Real Ham Bone class action settlement, you must do so no later than July 11, 2017.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members of the Real Ham Bone for Dogs settlement include anyone who purchased the Real Ham Bone product or who sustained a pet injury/property damage from the use of the product between Jan. 1, 2011 and May 12, 2017.
Potential Award
Up to $2,500 for documented veterinary bills and expenses for pet injury or death caused by the Real Ham Bone for Dogs product and up to $3 per Ram Ham Bone product purchased.
Class Members who submit a proof of purchase along with their Claim Form, can claim up to 10 bones, for a total of $30. Consumers who bought Real Ham Bone for Dogs products during the Class period can claim up to four bones without a receipt, for a total of $12.
Proof of Purchase
Class Members who intend to file a claim for veterinary expenses (up to $2,500) must submit appropriate documentation about the product purchase and its association with the pet’s injury or death.
Class Members seeking reimbursement for their purchased products who do not submit proof of purchase may claim only four Real Ham Bone for Dogs products (up to $12), while those with proof of purchase may claim up to 10 bones (up to $30).
Claim Form Deadline
9/9/2017
Case Name
Michael Taylor, et al. v. Dynamic Pet Products LLC, et al., Case No. 1616-CV11531, in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri at Independence
Final Hearing
8/3/2017
Settlement Website
www.RealHamBoneSettlement.com
Claims Administrator
Real Ham Bone Settlement
c/o Dahl Administration LLC
P.O. Box 3614
Minneapolis, MN 55403-0614
1-866-276-3832
info@RealHamBoneSettlement.com
Class Counsel
SHANK & MOORE LLC
Defense Counsel
WILSON ELSER MOSKOWITZ EDELMAN & DICKER LLP
