Chandigarh woman finds ‘worms, insects’ in dog food: Court orders company to pay compensation

Jamwal said she recorded videos and photographs of the product and approached the company via WhatsApp, email, and customer care channels to seek redressal.

In its reply, the company admitted that the complainant had purchased the product and had approached its consumer relations department. However, it argued that the product was required to be stored in a cool and dry place and claimed that failure to do so “might have resulted in loss of integrity of the sausage, making it prone to infestation by worm”.

The Commission, however, found little merit in the defence, and noted that the company had failed to prove that Jamwal mishandled the product or did not store it in a cool and dry place.

Holding that “the plea of improper storage raised by the OP [opposite party] is totally speculative and no reliance can be placed on same”, the Commission rejected the company’s stand.

The company had also argued that the complainant had not produced any veterinary prescription linking the product to an illness in her dog. Rejecting the contention, the Commission said the argument was “devoid of merit as the instant consumer complaint is primarily about defective product quality and not any medical injury”.

Concluding that the company “was negligent and guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice by selling a defective food product meant for pets”, the Commission partly allowed the complaint.