An Oregon man was awarded $800,000 by a jury after his cat died from consuming pet food contaminated with bird flu.
Tim Hanson filed the lawsuit following the death of his 4-year-old cat, Kira, in early 2025.
Hanson had been feeding Kira a raw chicken product manufactured by Wild Coast Pet Foods, according to court documents seen by The Oregonian. The cat became severely ill shortly after consuming the food and later tested positive for bird flu.
After several days of emergency room care and intensive treatment, veterinarians determined the illness was terminal and euthanized the cat.
The lawsuit alleged that Wild Coast Pet Foods marketed its products as safe and healthy while failing to disclose the elevated risk of bird flu exposure associated with raw chicken.
The filing further stated that the poultry used in the food originated from California and Washington, two states that had documented the highest rates of confirmed bird flu outbreaks during that period.
The $808,000 total verdict included $8,000 for veterinary bills and $800,000 in punitive damages, after Hanson’s attorneys argued the company acted with “conscious indifference” to pet health. According to court testimony, Wild Coast Pet Foods falsely assured customers on social media that it was actively screening its products for bird flu.
“In the statement you wrote ‘we will be testing’ — can that be changed to ‘we are testing’?” the company’s social media manager wrote to the founder in a December 2024 text message presented to the jury. The founder, Tyler Duncan, approved the change.
Attorneys for Hanson argued the tests used by the company fell far short of industry standards. During a recorded deposition played for the jury, Duncan denied responsibility, stating that “the food itself did not kill the animal” and pointing instead to the owner’s decision to euthanize the pet.
Hanson, a 58-year-old designer at Nike, testified that Kira began gasping for air roughly a week after eating the food. He and his partner wore N95 masks to protect themselves from the virus while saying goodbye.
“I just held her,” Hanson told The Oregonian. “I just told her I loved her so much.”
The case comes amid a broader outbreak of the H5N1 virus, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports has sickened at least 135 domestic cats across 22 states since 2024, often through raw poultry pet food.
Under Oregon law, 70 percent of the punitive damages will go to a state crime victims’ fund. After legal expenses, Hanson expects to receive little of the remaining money.
“I wanted some accountability,” Hanson said. “It’s not about the cash. It never was.”
The Independent has contacted Wild Coast Pet Foods for comment.
