Pennsylvania Woman Sues Iris USA Over Pet Food Containers Allegedly Linked to Pet Deaths
A Pennsylvania woman has filed a lawsuit against Iris USA, Inc., a manufacturer of household and pet storage products, claiming that the company’s airtight pet food containers are defectively designed and have led to the suffocation deaths of multiple pets.
The case, filed on October 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, stems from the death of plaintiff Valentina Mallozzi’s kitten, Ace, who reportedly died after climbing inside one of the containers and becoming trapped. According to the complaint, a design flaw in the latch mechanism of Iris’s “airtight” pet food bins allows small animals to pry it open and become trapped when the lid closes and locks automatically, creating a seal with no air inside, which can lead to suffocation.
Mallozzi claims that Iris advertises the containers as “perfect for dog food or cat food,” with a latch meant to “keep paws out.” The lawsuit argues that these statements are misleading because the latch design itself poses a danger. The filing also references multiple online posts and reports from pet owners describing similar incidents in which cats were found trapped inside the same type of container.
The complaint cites a March 2025 report by the Center for Pet Safety, which warned that airtight storage containers can cause suffocation in small animals within minutes. The report identified Iris containers as among the most hazardous because of their latch and foam-lined lid. The lawsuit claims that Iris knew about these dangers through customer complaints and social media posts but continued to sell the containers without adding warning labels or making design changes.
Mallozzi brings the case on behalf of consumers nationwide who purchased Iris containers, alleging that the company violated Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, committed negligence, breached warranties, and engaged in deceptive marketing practices. The complaint claims Iris misled consumers by promoting the containers as safe for use around pets while withholding known safety information, in violation of state laws that prohibit deceptive or misleading advertising.
Under Pennsylvania product liability law, manufacturers are responsible for designing products that are reasonably safe for their intended use. The lawsuit claims that Iris failed this duty by creating a design that could easily trap animals and by not including simple safety features that could have prevented the hazard. The complaint also argues that Iris failed to warn consumers about a foreseeable risk. In plain terms, a “failure to warn” claim means a company can be held responsible if it does not alert customers to a hidden danger that would not be obvious to the average buyer.
Product liability law is designed to hold manufacturers accountable when products cause harm that could have been prevented with proper testing, design, or labeling. Mallozzi seeks damages for herself and other consumers, including compensation for the loss of pets, refunds for unsafe products, and a court order requiring Iris to warn consumers or stop selling the containers.
