An Oregon man has been awarded $808,000 by a jury after his cat died from eating pet food contaminated with bird flu. Tim Hanson filed the lawsuit following the death of his four-year-old cat, Kira, in early 2025.
Hanson had been feeding Kira a raw chicken product manufactured by Wild Coast Pet Foods. The cat became severely ill shortly after consuming the food and later tested positive for bird flu. After several days of emergency care, veterinarians deemed the illness terminal and euthanised the cat.
The lawsuit alleged that Wild Coast Pet Foods marketed its products as safe while failing to disclose the elevated risk of bird flu exposure from raw chicken. The poultry used originated from California and Washington, states with high rates of confirmed bird flu outbreaks at the time.
The verdict included $8,000 for veterinary bills and $800,000 in punitive damages. Hanson's attorneys argued the company acted with 'conscious indifference' to pet health. Court testimony revealed that the company falsely assured customers on social media that it was actively screening products for bird flu, with internal messages showing a deliberate change from 'we will be testing' to 'we are testing'.
Attorneys for Hanson argued the tests used fell short of industry standards. In a deposition, company founder Tyler Duncan denied responsibility, claiming 'the food itself did not kill the animal' and pointing to the owner's decision to euthanise. Hanson, a 58-year-old designer at Nike, testified that Kira began gasping for air after eating the food, and he wore an N95 mask while saying goodbye.
The case comes amid a broader H5N1 outbreak that has sickened at least 135 domestic cats across 22 states since 2024, often through raw poultry pet food. Under Oregon law, 70% of the punitive damages will go to a state crime victims' fund. Hanson said, 'I wanted some accountability. It's not about the cash. It never was.'
