Bacterial contamination discovered during routine state testing has prompted Viva Raw LLC to voluntarily recall two lots of its frozen raw pet foods nationwide, including products distributed in Illinois. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company announced the recall August 25, 2025, after North Carolina Department of Agriculture sampling detected Salmonella in chicken products and Listeria monocytogenes in beef and turkey formulas.
No illnesses in pets or humans have been reported in connection with the affected products.
The recall targets specific production batches sold between July 2 and August 21, 2025. Lot 21975 includes:
- Viva Ground Chicken for Dogs
- Viva Chunked Chicken for Dogs
- Viva Chicken for Cats
- Viva Pure Chicken
All contaminated with Salmonella.
Lot 21495 covers:
- Viva Ground Beef for Dogs
- Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies
Both testing positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Pet owners can identify affected products by checking lot numbers printed on top of the 1-pound frozen brick packaging.
What Pet Owners Need to Know
Understanding the risks and response steps helps protect both pets and families from bacterial contamination.
Distribution spanned direct-to-consumer shipping nationwide plus select retailers across Illinois, New York, South Carolina, Florida, Kansas, California, and Arizona. Both pathogens pose serious risks to pets and humans handling contaminated food.
Pets may experience:
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Reduced appetite
Humans—particularly immunocompromised individuals, elderly people, children, and pregnant women—face greater risks from listeriosis complications.
Listeria symptoms in humans can appear up to 70 days after exposure, including:
- Persistent fever
- Muscle aches
- Severe headaches
- Vomiting
Pregnant women face additional risks of miscarriage or stillbirth from listeriosis infections.
Customers should contact [email protected] for refunds and dispose of recalled products safely, ensuring children, pets, and wildlife cannot access them. The company emphasizes these products should never be sold, donated, or fed to any animal.
Viva Raw has launched internal investigations into sanitation procedures and pathogen intervention methods, exploring additional safety technologies for future production. This recall highlights ongoing scrutiny of the raw pet food trend, which appeals to owners seeking minimally processed diets but carries higher bacterial contamination risks than conventional pet foods.
