Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-00819/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-00819-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 370
Nature of Suit: Other Fraud
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Fraud

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DOCUMENT 

I hereby attest and certify that r, ;J:.c i:.: , 

printed copy of a document which we.. 

UNITED STATES JUDICIAL PAN..»J.ec~ronically filed with the United StatE. 

1Elistnct Court foJ the 1)3trict of Kansa 

on Dijljte fil d · { $- 7 --fq 

MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATIO:i;;1 ;' J~pJ?!~_urt 

IN RE: HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., DOG FOOD 

PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION 

TRANSFER ORDER 

~-.~~=-- 11~.,IJl--•I~ 

MDL No. 2887 

Before the Panel:* Plaintiffs in two actions pending in the Northern District of California 

(Navarette and Bauer) move under 28 U.S.C. § 1407 to centralize this litigation in the Northern 

District of California. The litigation consists of the six actions listed on the attached Schedule A, 

three in the Northern District of California (Navarette, Bauer, and Sun-Dampier) and one each in 

the Northern District of Florida (Russel[), the Eastern District of New York (Bone), and the District 

of Rhode Island (Jubinville). The Panel has been notified of 23 potentially-related actions. 1 

All responding parties support centralization, but there is disagreement concerning the choice 

of an appropriate transferee district. The Sun-Dampier plaintiff supports centralization in the 

Northern District of California. Common dt<fendants Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., and Hill's Pet 

Nutrition Sales, Inc., support centralization in the District of Kansas, as do plaintiffs in nine potential 

tag-along actions. Plaintiffs in the Bone, Russell, and Jubinville actions support centralization in the 

Eastern District of New York, as do plaintiffs in seven potential tag-along actions. 

On the basis of the papers filed and the hearing session held, we find that these actions 

involve common questions of fact, and that centralization in the District of Kansas will serve the 

convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation. 

The actions share factual issues arising from allegations that multiple varieties of Hill's Prescription 

Diet and Science Diet canned dog food products were defective, in that they contained dangerously 

high levels of Vitamin D.2 Centralization will eliminate duplicative discovery, the possibility of 

inconsistent rulings on class certification, Daubert motions, and other pretrial matters, and conserve 

One or more Panel members who could be members of the putative classes in this 

litigation have renounced their participation in.these classes and have participated in this decision. 

These and any other related actions are potential tag-along actions. See Panel Rules 

l.l(h), 7.1, and 7.2. 

2 According to plaintiffs, excessive Vitamin D can cause dogs to experience serious 

health issues (e.g., vomiting, weakness, depression, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased 

urination, blood in feces and vomit, loss of weight, constipation, seizures, muscle tremors, 

abdominal pain, excessive drooling and joint issues) and even death. 

Case 3:19-cv-00819-WHA Document 29 Filed 06/14/19 Page 1 of 3
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judicial and party resources. 

We select the District of Kansas as the transferee district. Hill's is headquartered in that 

district, and it represents that its key evidence and witnesses are located there. Eight potential tagalong actions are pending in the District of Kansas, and its selection is supported by both Hill's and 

a number of plaintiffs. Chief Judge Julie A. Robinson, to whom we assign the litigation, is an 

experienced jurist. We are confident that she will steer this litigation on a prudent course. 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the actions listed on Schedule A and pending outside 

the District of Kansas are transferred to the District of Kansas, and, with the consent of that court, 

assigned to the Honorable Julie A. Robinson for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings. 

PANEL ON MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION 

Lewis A. Kaplan 

R. J)avidProctor 

Karen K. Caldwell 

Sarah S. Vance 

Chair 

Ellen Segal Huvelle 

Catherine J), Perry 

Nathaniel M. Gorton 

Case 3:19-cv-00819-WHA Document 29 Filed 06/14/19 Page 2 of 3
IN RE: HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., DOG FOOD 

PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION 

SCHEDULE A 

Northern District of California 

MDL No. 2887 

NAVARRETE v. HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., C.A. No. 3:19-00767 

SUN-DAMPIER v. HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., C.A. No. 3:19-00819 

BAUER, ET AL. v. HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., C.A. No. 3:19-00908 

Northern District of Florida 

RUSSELL, ET AL. v. HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., C.A. No. 3:19-00395 

Eastern District of New York 

BONE, ET AL. v. HILL'S PET NUTRITION, INC., ET AL., C.A. No. 1: 19-00831 

District of Rhode Island 

JUBINVILLE, ET AL. v. HILL'S PET.NUTRITION, INC., ET AL., C.A. No. 1:19-00074 

Case 3:19-cv-00819-WHA Document 29 Filed 06/14/19 Page 3 of 3