Bugs or Webbing in a Pet Food Bag: What to Do

Stop using the affected food and keep the bag away from pets, children, and other food while you contact the seller or manufacturer. Photograph what you found before moving it. Finding insects does not tell you when or where they entered the food.

AAFCO’s consumer guidance identifies storage insects, including meal moths and grain beetles, as potential pet-food pests. Webbing can be a clue to meal moth activity. You do not need to identify the species yourself to report the problem.

Keep the bag’s history with the evidence

Record when you bought and opened it, where it was stored, and whether it was poured into a reusable bin. Photograph the package, food, seams, and identifying codes. Keep the product name, lot, best-by date, and purchase details together; our lot-code guide explains which numbers serve different purposes.

Ask the company how to retain the affected bag or a sample. Do not sift out insects and serve the remainder, or apply a household pesticide to food or feeding equipment. If your pet is unwell, call the veterinary team with the food history and the signs you see.

Inspect the storage area before refilling it

Look at neighboring dry goods and containers for similar activity. Note which packages appear affected rather than assuming every item came from the same source. If the problem extends through the pantry, seek suitable pest-management advice and keep pets away from any treatments.

The FDA recommends keeping the original food bag inside a storage container, and washing and drying reusable containers between bags. Emptying a bin before refilling also gives you a chance to inspect its corners and lid. Do not simply top up the old crumbs.

For individually packaged products such as PARTNER’s biscuit-shaped treats, check the actual sachet as well as the outer box. Twelve sachets in a box are twelve separate packages to keep track of; a problem with one should be described precisely.

Save the company’s reply beside your photographs. Before the next bag goes into storage, make sure the container is clean, completely dry, and ready for a new package and its own identifying details.

Written by PARTNER Editorial Team for general education. Contact your veterinary team for advice about your pet’s individual health and feeding needs.