Iris container
PHILADELPHIA – A new federal lawsuit says pet-food containers are actually death traps, thanks to a swinging lid that allows animals to climb in but not out.
Valentina Mallozzi’s kitten was a victim of the Iris Airtight Pet Food Container, says her lawsuit filed Oct. 22 in Philadelphia federal court. She is represented by Steven Schwartz of Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith in Haverford.
“Other pet deaths have been reported on the internet,” the suit says. “As such, Iris containers are not fit for their intended purpose, unreasonably dangerous to pets and worthless.”
The containers are marketed as airtight for pet food. Mallozzi’s kitten Ace this July was able to open a locked lid and climb in the food bin, but the lid dropped down and locked again. Ace suffocated.
Cats are particularly able to open a downward-facing latch on the lid, the suit says. A strip of foam that prevents the lid from shutting on its own doesn’t always work, it adds.
Mallozzi cites stories from the Facebook group Prevent Pet Suffocation. A March 2025 report by the Center for Pet Safety that says the design of the Iris container significantly increases the risk of pet suffocation.
“Iris could easily disclose the defect on its product pages, on the container itself, the packaging, etc., but chooses not to,” the lawsuit says.
“Indeed, Iris actively conceals the defect by not only failing to disclose it, but also representing the Iris containers as ‘safer’ for pets and ‘perfect for dog food or cat food.’”
The suit seeks to establish a nationwide class of consumers and a subclass of Pennsylvanians. It seeks compensation for violations of consumer protection laws stemming from an alleged lack of warning.
Had customers known of the dangers, they wouldn’t have bought the containers or would have paid less, the suit says. A review of federal court records indicates this is the first lawsuit making these allegations against Iris.
