maxgozani
Two contaminated cans and an unacceptable response
Title: Two contaminated cans and an unacceptable response I purchased a 24-can case of Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d 5.5 oz wet dog food from Chewy in July 2026. The unopened case was stored indoors at normal room temperature. On September 1, I opened two separate cans from that case and found extensive apparent mold and other unidentified contamination inside both cans. The product was marked best before March 2028. This is expensive prescription food that pet owners rely upon to be safe. Finding this condition in two different cans from the same case was horrifying. Thankfully, I saw the contamination before feeding it to my dog. Chewy promptly agreed to replace the case and open an investigation. Hill’s response, however, focused on suggesting that the cans may have been damaged during handling. Hill’s referred to the appearance of a can rim in photographs taken after I had already opened the cans, without first physically examining the cans or determining when any seal failure occurred. A compromised seal may explain how contamination developed, but it does not establish where or when the failure happened or relieve the manufacturer of responsibility for thoroughly investigating it. I have purchased and trusted this exact food for more than a year. Hill’s response has left me feeling that a serious product-quality complaint is being minimized instead of treated with the urgency it deserves. I expect Hill’s management to conduct a genuine investigation, examine and test the affected cans, review complaints associated with this production lot, and explain what steps will be taken to prevent this from happening again. Coupons and a replacement case do not resolve the underlying safety concern. Pet owners should carefully inspect every can before feeding it and preserve the can, case information, lot markings, and photographs if anything appears abnormal. I have preserved extensive photographic evidence of both contaminated cans, the expiration date, and the 24-can package, and I provided these photographs directly to Chewy and Hill’s.