HONOLULU — The Hawaii Department of Health's Food and Drug Branch issued an alert Friday for a voluntary recall of products by Viva Raw, LLC of raw dog and cat food, because of potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

What You Need To Know

  • The recalled products are sold online by Viva Raw, including to customers in Hawaii

  • The company will notify people who purchased the recalled frozen bricks of pet food

  • Listeria monocytogenes, if consumed through food, can cause listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection for pets

  • People can become infected from handling contaminated food, having contact with pets who have consumed contaminated food, and/or contact with surfaces that touched contaminated food

These products are sold online by Viva Raw, including to customers in Hawaii. The company will notify people who purchased the recalled frozen bricks of pet food. A list of the products related to the recall can also be found here. 

DOH recommends not feeding the recalled products to pets; not touching the pet food with bare hands; using gloves to put the contaminated food in a zip-top bag, sealing it, and throwing it away; sanitizing any areas that the products might have touched; washing hands after handling of the products and touching pets. 

Listeria monocytogenes, if consumed through food, can cause listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection for pets. People can become infected from handling contaminated food, having contact with pets who have consumed contaminated food, and/or contact with surfaces that touched contaminated food.

The disease mostly affects people who are pregnant, newborns, older adults and others with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Healthy people may suffer symptoms such as fever, severe headache, muscle aches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea. Symptoms usually show up within several days of consuming the contaminated-food, often with diarrhea, but symptoms may develop up to two months later. Antibiotics are used to treat listeriosis.

Listeria monocytogenes illnesses in pets are rare. Infected pets may display symptoms including mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervousness, muscular and respiratory issues, miscarriage, depression, shock and death. Pets who consume contaminated food can be asymptomatic, while still being carriers and transferring Listeria monocytogenes through feces and saliva to people and other pets in the household. Anyone who has a pet that has eaten the recalled products should contact a veterinarian immediately.

As of Wednesday, no one has reported adverse effects from the pet food. 

For people who received the recalled products from Viva Raw, LLC, please contact them at info@vivarawpets.com to request a refund and for information. Customers may also contact Viva Raw, LLC by calling 919-371-8882 Monday through Friday, between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. HST.