Do you need a license to sell homemade dog treats UK?
Rules and Regulations
Before you start a pet treat business, you must contact your local Trading Standards for advice, since you must be approved by your local authority before you begin operating. You can find application forms on your local authority's animal health website.
Here's the good news: It's perfectly fine to feed your dog homemade treats. However, and this can't be stressed enough, you have to be safe about it. And it's surprisingly easy to be unsafe, because many foods are unhealthy or even poisonous for dogs. Store-bought dog foods are regulated by the FDA.
Can I run a food business from home if I have pets UK?
Pets. Pets should also not be allowed in the kitchen during food preparation and pet food should be kept well away from all food production and storage areas.
If you sell, cook, store, handle, prepare or distribute food, you may be considered a food business and will need to register with your local authority.
While you may not define yourself as a business, if you are providing food on a regular and organised basis, you are a food business under food law. Once you have registered as a food business, local authority officers will make arrangements to visit your home to conduct a food hygiene inspection.
Do you need a Licence to sell homemade dog treats?
Before you start a pet treat business, you must contact your local Trading Standards for advice, since you must be approved by your local authority before you begin operating.
Do you need insurance to sell homemade dog treats?
Whether you make treats, collars and leads, toys, grooming products or any other type of pet related craft, you will need insurance to protect your business.
The best way to ship your treats is to bake them and reduce the moisture in them so they have a long shelf life without needing to be refrigerated. This way you don't need to worry if your package takes longer to arrive to your customer or family member.
Before you start a pet treat business, you must contact your local Trading Standards for advice, since you must be approved by your local authority before you begin operating. You can find application forms on your local authority's animal health website.
Dehydrating raw meat, fruit, and veggies is a great way to make single-ingredient treats. According to Guttormson, dehydrated treats are free of preservatives, and the nutrients in the food will remain intact compared to store-bought treats that can be processed at high temperatures.
Avoid using baking molds and containers containing BPA, a contaminant linked to cancer and other health maladies. Don't use toxic ingredients, including xylitol, onions, garlic, chocolate and raisins, says Dr. Jeffrey, whose professional focus includes preventative care.
Whether you make treats, collars and leads, toys, grooming products or any other type of pet related craft, you will need insurance to protect your business.
If you are making, selling or using animal feed of any kind, and this would be the case with a pet food or pet treat business, you need to register your business with your local Trading Standards Office (TSO).
Both public and product liability insurance can help to cover this. If your product does unfortunately cause harm or death to a pet, their owner or damage to property, this can be detrimental if your business is small and you run every operation of your business.
Oh, and there's always the $$$ savings you'll get from using homemade dog treat recipes rather than buying from the store on online. Many of the generic, popular dog treats cost between $5 and $10 per bag/container. Organic, all-natural or gourmet dog treats will set you back a whole lot more.
Why are homemade dog treats better than store bought?
Our ingredients are fresh and free of antibiotics, preservatives, artificial flavours and colours, and undergo minimal procession. Store-bought treats, on the other hand, are highly processed, pumped full of preservatives, and are known to have inedible ingredients.
By purchasing homemade dog treats (or making your own), dog owners have more control and options about what to feed their pets and what is actually going into their dog's snacks. Homemade treats can and should be prepared chemical free.
It's important to follow UK government health and safety regulations for your dog bakery. Be sure to read up on and closely follow the legislation regarding pet food production. You may want to take an accredited food health and safety course to prepare yourself for a clean business.
It all starts with grinding up grains and cereals to create a powder. This meal is steamed and pushed through an extruder to be cut into shaped pieces. From there, the food pieces are cooked and cooled. Finally, they're sprayed with fat and flavoring to appeal to pets.
While you may not define yourself as a business, if you are providing food on a regular and organised basis, you are a food business under food law. Once you have registered as a food business, local authority officers will make arrangements to visit your home to conduct a food hygiene inspection.
You need to register as self-employed when starting a food business, even if you are part-time or have another job. You should register at GOV.UK to verify your account and confirm the specifics of your food business. Failure to register may result in a fine.
If you want to sell sweets then the scenario is very similar to selling cakes. If you are a registered confectionary business it is good practice to demonstrate that you comply to food safety legislation by taking food hygiene training, even if you are selling packaged sweets from home.
