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Friday, March 29, 2024

Pet owner alleges Sentry product can cause essential oil poisoning

Federal Court
Puppy black

SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – A California pet owner alleges that a brand of flea and tick treatment is not safe for animals because it can cause essential oil poisoning.

Ramona Penikila, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, filed a complaint on Aug. 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against PetIQ LLC, doing business as Sentry, alleging violation of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, violation of California's Unfair Competition Law, fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of implied warranty of merchantability and breach of express warranty.

The defendant is the manufacturer of Sentry, a product advertised as an all-natural pest-repellent and treatment for fleas and ticks. The defendant alleges that their product is safe for use by animals but despite their claims, the plaintiff alleges that the ingredients make the product unsafe. 

Among the ingredients in Sentry are peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil and thyme oil. Though the ingredients may be natural, the plaintiff alleges they are dangerous and even can be toxic if absorbed through the skin of animals or ingested by them. Pets may suffer from irritation to the skin, vomiting, muscle tremors or even organ failure and death in some cases, the suit states, but consumers are told to apply the product directly to their pets' skin. 

The plaintiff claims that she would not have purchased the defendant's product had she known about the risk it posed to her pet. She also alleges the defendant failed to disclose that the product can cause essential oil poisoning.

The plaintiff is seeking trial by jury, attorneys' fees, court costs, interest and just relief. The plaintiff is represented by L. Timothy Fisher, Joel D. Smith and Blair E. Reed of Bursor & Fisher P.A. in Walnut Creek, California, and Scott A. Bursor of Bursor & Fisher P.A. in Miami.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California case number 3:19-CV-05508

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