The Pet Products Held To No Legal or Safety Standards – Truth about Pet Food

April 19, 2022 Kar-Bay-Inc 0 Comments

On the FDA website, the agency tells consumers the following pet products are not regulated…by anyone:

“Not on the Regulatory Radar“

“Some products on the market for animals don’t fall under the regulatory authority of any government or non-government organization, including:

Cat litter
Pet accessories, such as toys, beds, and crates
Grooming aids
Bedding for pet birds and small animals, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters“

This means, your cat’s litter is held to no safety standard. No one is testing cat litters for safety. There are no legal limits to mycotoxin contamination in grain based litters, there are no safety requirements for clumping litters. The label of cat litters are held to no legal requirements – such as labels are not required to disclose all ingredients and labels are not verified for accurate claims.

Pet toys and bedding are held to no safety standards. Dyes and chemicals used in toys and bedding are not monitored by anyone, and those dyes and chemicals are not required to be disclosed on the label.

Grooming aids such as pet shampoos are held to no safety standard. There is no regulatory body that is testing these products to assure pet owners the products are free of dangerous chemicals or scents. And the labels of pet shampoos are free to make just about any claim – true or not. The only exception is flea and tick shampoos or medical shampoos, which could be regulated.

What can you do?

Shop at an independent pet food store. Many independent pet stores sell these products and many store owners have done the homework to product safety (as well as their homework on pet food safety). Many store owners have used the products themselves before offering it to customers. Ask them questions about the litter and toys and shampoos they sell – such as ‘have you validated the label claims of this product with the manufacturer?’

Pet owners can try to locate the manufacturer themselves – but this is easier said than done. If you can locate the manufacturer, ask about safety standards used by the company. Ask for a complete ingredient list. Ask if any testing has been performed.

Pay close attention to your pet whenever you introduce a new litter, bed, toy or shampoo. If your pet acts different in any manner, it could be they are reacting to a scent, a mycotoxin or chemical in the litter, bed, toy or shampoo. Listen to your pet.

If you haven’t read the book The Forever Dog, get it and read chapter 10. Authors Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib address many chemical exposure issues with our pets and offer some great tips and advice.

Wishing you and your pet the best –

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

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