I don't know if this has been asked yet but do states have the same requirements to bake dog biscuits and other dog treats as they do for baking for humans? I live in Pennsylvania. Anyone have experience with this?

You should call your local health dept. they will tell you exactly what the requirements are for that.

In New York, the Dept of Ag & Mkts regulates pet food. Every recipe needs to meet strict guidelines and must be vetted. Each recipe must be registered and must remain exactly the same. Any change requires the business owner to start the process again. It's far easier to bake for humans than for animals.

Thanks for the replies.

Believe it or not, in Texas, pet treats are regulated by the Office of the Texas State Chemists, Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service.

If they say that you can't have dogs in the kitchen where you're baking dog biscuits, I'd ask them why not, since dogs lick their own butts. Their first concern isn't sanitation, hahaha!

Or you could tell them that your dog is the quality control tester and needs to be available at all times.

On a serious note, in VA the Dept of Agriculture deals with that kind of stuff. When you call the Dept of Health you might get some weird answers about who covers that kind of baking, since it's probably not something they get asked every day.

Dept of Ag in our state too. And you may be required to have a certified nutrition analysis and label too.

If you think you will be in trouble for making a person sick, Hell hath no fury like a dog lover with a sick dog from food contamination. Be sure to have proper liability insurance and I would have a certified allergy label too.

This is serious stuff. I grew up in this industry and our friend owned Iams Pet Food. My dad manufactured the first ever athletic feed for horses. He was sued when a horse got sick and died. After about two years, an autopsy by VA Tech vets immediately after death on site (paid by him), lawyers, and multi thousands of dollars, it was found that the horse was overfed and the feed was fine. So be aware that this market is much more likely to litigate and find proper blame later. That lawsuit cost him about $25,000 to be not guilty. We owned a feed company. Every time an animal gets sick, the first thing any owner looks at is the feed... from chickens to cows, to horses, to pets.

I wouldn't touch animal treats with a ten foot pole. And you will probably find many more regulations governing this industry than dealing with human food.

Here's a similar thread which includes opinions from those who have experience with this.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=7010583&highlight=pet+bakery#7010583

The pet industry is steadily growing in spite of the economy. Due to demand, vet schools are having to increase their enrollment numbers. It's a lucrative business. My father studied equine nutrition and nutritional needs of pets and farm animals both in pre-vet classes in college and through years of study and owning a feed business. I would suggest not venturing into this field without extensive study. This category is definitely an emotional issue when a pet gets sick and a "most likely to get sued" category. I'm one of those crazy dog people.

If you want to do this, a working relationship with a vet school or vet school with a dedicated nutrition dept would be advisable. When tou get a few good, tested recipes, I would stick with the few, make a brochure and website based on your research and the safety features of your products, including all of your research. Approval by the Dept of Ag should be included, plus a copy of your insurance. Be proactive about covering your bases and when Fluffy gets sick, they may not be so quick to blame the odd new thing in her diet.

Written vet and other expert approval would enhance your site and credibility.