Pet toys, beds, leads and accessories

• Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR
• Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — REACH
• Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 for chews of animal origin

Who has to appoint one

Sellers outside the Union placing pet accessories on the EU market. The products are not toys in the legal sense — the Toy Safety Directive covers children — but they are consumer products with the full Article 16 obligations.

Thresholds and exemptions

None. Chews and treats of animal origin additionally fall under the animal by-products rules with border control requirements.

What must appear on the label

Manufacturer and responsible person details with an EU address, batch identification, size or weight guidance, and warnings where the product presents a risk to the animal or the owner, such as supervision warnings for chew toys.

Marketplace fields

Marketplaces enforce the responsible person field here as elsewhere. Retractable leads and choke collars face national restrictions in some member states.

Documentation you must hold

Technical documentation, risk analysis covering ingestion, entanglement and mechanical failure, REACH evidence for dyes, plasticisers and metal components, and for animal-origin chews the import documentation and approved establishment listing.

Standards and testing

REACH screening for phthalates, heavy metals and azo dyes, tensile testing for leads and harnesses, and small parts assessment for detachable elements that a child could reach.

Language requirements

Warnings and use instructions in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Before the product is made available.

How long records are kept

Ten years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal and fines. Products failing on phthalates or lead content are removed, and animal-origin chews without veterinary documentation are destroyed at the border.

Who enforces it

Market surveillance authorities, veterinary authorities for animal-origin products, and customs.

Where the boundary lies

Pet products are frequently attractive to children, and small detachable parts are assessed accordingly. Chews of animal origin are a veterinary import matter that no product compliance file addresses.

Questions we are asked

Are pet toys covered by the Toy Safety Directive?

No, that Directive covers toys for children. Pet toys are general consumer products under GPSR, with REACH restrictions applying to the materials.

Do rawhide chews need special documentation?

Yes. They are animal by-products requiring an approved third-country establishment and a border control post entry with a health certificate.