US pet chain pulls China products

One of the US’ largest pet supplies retailers has removed all Chinese made cat and dog treats from its shelves, citing safety reasons.

Petco has 1300 stores across the US and sells online. While it was not specific about any cases of pet poisoning or unsafe products from Chinese products, it was clear the move was prompted by concerns for the wellbeing of pets.

“What we feed our pets matters, and this milestone supports the company’s steadfast commitment to putting our customers, partners, animals and the communities we serve first,” said Jim Myers, Petco CEO.

“As a trusted partner for pet parents, we believe this is the right thing to do, and we’re proud to take this step in the best interest of pets,” he said.

The company said in a statement Monday the move “affirms our commitment to listening to customers and putting the health and safety of pets first”.

Petco has not carried any dog or cat food from China for several years and the decision to extend the ban to China-made treats allows Petco “to expand the assortment of safe and healthy alternatives that are made in the US or in other regions around the globe that support complete pet health” the company said.

According to a recent survey, Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the US by Packaged Facts, 55 per cent of dog owners and 48 per cent of cat owners agree that fear of pet food contamination and product safety is a key consideration for the pet foods they buy.

The survey also found that 61 per cent of dog owners and 50 per cent of cat owners seek out food made in the US.

“Customer response to our expanded assortment of treats has been great,” said Myers. “And we are equally pleased at just how responsive our vendor partners have been in helping us source an entirely new line-up of high-quality, predominantly US-made treat and chew alternatives.”

Petco said pet parents looking for alternatives to China-made dog or cat treats will find a broad and refreshed selection of products from the US and other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Australia and South America.

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