Why Buying American-made Pet Food and Toys Matters
When it comes to pet food, where a product is made can be just as important as the ingredient list on the label. The 150th annual Westminster Dog Show begins this weekend — the Super Bowl of dog events and […]
machineryasia 
When it comes to pet food, where a product is made can be just as important as the ingredient list on the label.
The 150th annual Westminster Dog Show begins this weekend — the Super Bowl of dog events and a celebration of the highest standards in canine health and appearance. It’s the perfect time to reflect on why choosing Made in America pet products matters.
Pet owners spend billions of dollars each year on food, treats and toys, trusting that these products are safe for the animals they care about most. Yet many of those items are made overseas, far from the regulatory systems designed to protect consumers – our beloved pets.
Beyond branding or patriotic sentiment, choosing American-made pet food and toys matters for very real reasons like safety, accountability and health.
Pet Food Safety Starts with Strong Standards
In the United States, pet food is regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These laws require pet food to be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions and truthfully labeled. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) further strengthened oversight by shifting regulations toward preventing contamination before it occurs rather than reacting after harm is done.
This regulatory framework means that pet food manufactured in the U.S. is produced in facilities subject to inspection, documentation and traceability requirements – all of which reduce the likelihood of contamination and make recalls more effective when problems arise.
While all pet food sold in the U.S. is subject to FDA rules, imported products can pose higher risks. Oversight abroad varies widely by country, and complex global supply chains can obscure where ingredients originate or how they were handled.
Perhaps the most well-known tragedy of a contamination case occurred in 2007, when ingredients imported from China introduced melamine into pet food, sickening and killing thousands of dogs and cats across the United States. The resulting recall affected more than 5,000 products and exposed serious vulnerabilities in international sourcing.
More recently, a comprehensive review of U.S. pet food recalls between 2003 and 2022 found a significant share were driven by chemical contamination or biological hazards such as salmonella – risks that are harder to control when ingredients are sourced overseas.
Imported pet treats, including certain chews, have also been repeatedly flagged for salmonella contamination, prompting FDA import alerts.
Why “Made in America” Is More Than a Label
A legitimate “Made in USA” claim is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and requires that products be “all or virtually all” made domestically. For pet food, that often means tighter control over ingredients, manufacturing processes and labeling accuracy.
That’s great news for your pets. Domestic manufacturers are easier to inspect, easier to hold accountable and more transparent when issues arise. Transparency matters in a market where the FDA does not pre-approve pet food before it reaches shelves, instead relying on post-market enforcement.
Food isn’t the only concern. Dog toys and accessories often contain plastics, dyes, adhesives, chemicals and coatings – materials that may not be regulated as strictly in other countries.
In the U.S., many consumer products fall under the oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and laws such as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act restrict hazardous substances like lead and certain phthalates (definitely not good for pets).
Imported toys may be manufactured using materials that would not meet U.S. safety expectations, increasing the risk of chemical exposure, choking hazards or premature breakage – all serious concerns for pets that chew with enthusiasm.
Choosing American-made toys helps reduce those risks and supports manufacturers operating under stronger safety norms.
Why Buying American Helps Pets — and People
Pet spending in the United States exceeds $100 billion annually, much of it flowing into global supply chains.
Choosing American-made pet products keeps jobs here at home, bolsters local economies and cuts reliance on fragile overseas supply chains. Domestic production also reduces the risk of contamination, mislabeling, and quality lapses – a critical safeguard for our pets.
Your dog depends on you for every meal, every chew, and every toy…whether they’re competing at Westminster or ruling the couch at home like Maisey and Sami do every day. Choosing Made in America pet food and toys means choosing higher safety standards, stronger accountability and greater peace of mind.
From Best in Show to Best in Snuggles, America’s dogs – the ultimate elite judges of quality – deserve products made with care, transparency and the protections only strong domestic standards can provide.
