Pet Toy Safety

When you're buying toys for your furry friends it is essential that you know they will be safe and free from toxins, so your pets can play with impunity. However, in the UK and across the world there is very little oversight and basically, no regulations when it comes to making pet playthings. This makes buying your toys from trusted brands that keep safety at the top of their list of priorities of paramount importance. 

In today's post, we will be exploring some of the things to look out for when you’re buying pet toys and some of the brilliant brands that provide your pets with the safest playthings, so you can stay content every time your gregarious pets decide it’s time for a glorious game.

Pet Toy Safety: The Regulations 

When it comes to pet toy safety, there is a baffling lack of regulations in the UK or EU. There are no minimum standards for new products coming to market, allowing companies to essentially produce products that are of a low standard and ones that are not rigorously tested. Marketers are able to make any claims they like about pet toys without any risk of having to make recompense if your dog is injured or even poisoned by their playthings. So if you see words like “indestructible” or  “unbreakable” on your pet’s toys packaging, it can often mean nothing at all. The testing on such products can also be lacking in a big way, with many companies doing no testing at all, as it is not a legal requirement. 

With such a lack of regulation on pet toys, it is extremely important that we get ours from reputable companies who do the testing despite the lack of regulation or accountability, so all of our pets can be completely safe whenever they play. 

Pet Toy Safety: The Warning Signs

When buying toys from a supplier that you may not be entirely sure about it is important to look out for warning signs of sub-standard products. Below is a list of a few things you can look out for.

Dangerous Dog Toys

Dogs are often one of the most important members of the family and we want to keep them safe at all times, even when it's time for a game.

Fillings and Decorations

Some dogs absolutely love soft toys as their playmates but they will also play rough, as most dogs love to chew, lick and bite their toys all day long. These kinds of toys can be filled with dried pulses, polystyrene and even nutshells as well as having loose squeakers or other sensory additions, all of which can be a potential choking hazard when not put through proper testing. The same can be said for plastic eyes, feathers, bells and other aesthetic additions which are often added to make a toy look better. Look out for parts of a toy that look like they might be easily removed and to avoid that completely always buy from trusted toy makers. 

Toxic Materials 

Some dog toys can be made with potentially toxic chemicals and are one of the hardest things to spot when purchasing your playthings. But you can find a list of toxic materials commonly used in dog toys here> and make sure to not buy products that are made with such materials. This can be difficult due to the lack of regulations, so, again it is always best to buy from reputable suppliers. 

Potentially Catastrophic Cat Toys 

There are not many more pleasurable things in life than watching your cat play with their favourite toy, however, there are a lot of products on the market that are simply not suitable for our feline friends.

Battery Powered Toys

One of the most common types of cheap cat toys are those that have a battery inside them and move around to keep your cats attention. The issue with these is that batteries can be easily punctured by your cat's teeth which can release a whole host of toxic chemicals. If you insist on a battery-powered toy, always make sure you are present when it’s playtime and put them away when you can’t keep an eye. We would recommend against them completely.

Toys with Feathers, Tinsel, Yarn and Other Small Parts

Cat toys are often bedecked with a whole host of dangly, sparkly and stringy things, all of which can be a hazard for your cats. Any small parts can be a choking hazard and materials such as tinsel and yarns made of plastics can fall apart when played with and be toxic if ingested. Dangling things can also be a hazard as cats can get tangled if unsupervised and cause potentially catastrophic injuries. 

The simplest way of avoiding all of these issues is to supervise play wherever possible and always buy your toys from reputable suppliers, who have your pet's best interests at heart.

Pet Toys at The Pets Larder

All of the toys on our shelves here, at The Pets Larder, are sourced from some of the most trusted pet toy suppliers around and as such we are confident that your pets will be safe however rough their playtime is. Brands such as Kong and Chuckit have your pets’ best interests at heart and are experts in producing high-quality toys for your furry friends. 

So, when it comes to buying a new toy for your pets, don’t forget to give them a rigorous check over and find out if the materials are suitable for your pets before you take them home. And if you want to avoid the trouble, buy from one of the trusted brands we stock here, at The Pets Larder.