A class-action lawsuit against Nestle Purina's Denver pet food plant was dismissed on May 28, 2025, exactly one year after filing, but immediately replaced by a new lawsuit with different plaintiffs making nearly identical claims about rancid odors affecting residents' health and quality of life.
- The original lawsuit filed by Robert Fields and Lorena Ortiz on May 28, 2024 was voluntarily dismissed exactly one year later by the same law firm, Liddle Sheets P.C.
- A new lawsuit was filed the same day with different plaintiffs—Andrew Boyle, Cole Guffey, Jessica Owens-Neckien, and Glory Silwedel—making nearly identical allegations.
- Residents claim the Purina plant at 4555 York Street near Interstate 70 emits rancid odors that prevent outdoor activities and cause nausea, headaches, and watery eyes.
- Original plaintiffs alleged Purina failed to install or maintain adequate odor mitigating technology and equipment to control emissions.
- The lawsuit represents residents within a one-mile radius of the Denver facility, which has operated for decades.
A class-action lawsuit against the Nestle Purina pet food plant in Denver, Colorado's Elyria-Swansea neighborhood has taken an unexpected turn, with the original case being dismissed exactly one year after filing, only to be immediately replaced by a new lawsuit with different plaintiffs making nearly identical claims.
The saga began on May 28, 2024, when Robert Fields filed a civil complaint against Nestle Purina Petcare Co., targeting the plant that has operated near Interstate 70 for decades. Fields was later joined by co-plaintiff Lorena Ortiz in what became a class-action suit representing residents within a one-mile radius of the facility at 4555 York Street.
Exactly one year later, on May 28, 2025, Fields' attorneys filed paperwork to voluntarily dismiss their complaint, noted a report from 9News. Court records do not specify the reason for the dismissal.
As the original case was being dismissed, the same Detroit law firm, Liddle Sheets P.C., filed a new lawsuit with different neighbors as plaintiffs: Andrew Boyle, Cole Guffey, Jessica Owens-Neckien and Glory Silwedel. This new claim appears to contain many of the same allegations as the dismissed case, reported 9News.
Core complaints
The original lawsuit focused on what residents described as a "rancid" and "highly odiferous" smell emanating from the pet food processing plant. The original plaintiffs alleged that Purina had "failed to install, maintain, operate, develop, and/or implement adequate odor mitigating strategies, processes, technology and equipment to control its odorous emissions from the facility."
The impact on residents' daily lives has been significant, noted the lawsuit. Fields stated in the original complaint that residents "can't plan an outside event ... can't have windows open" and would "rather be too hot inside then have the smell come in." Ortiz described the smell as "horrible" and said she "does not even want to go outside." Other residents reported that the "offensive odors" caused nausea, headaches and watery eyes.
Petfood Industry has reached out to Nestle Purina for comment and is awaiting a response.
According to Petfood Industry's Top Pet Food Companies, Nestlé Purina PetCare remains a top player in the global pet care industry. Long a leader in the U.S. market, Nestlé Purina also operates pet food factories in 19 countries. Nestlé Purina claims three headquarters globally: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., for its North American and Latin American operations; Lausanne, Switzerland, in Europe; and Sydney, Australia, covering Asia, Oceania and Africa. Its parent company, Nestlé's world headquarters, is in Vevey, Switzerland.
