Pet Treat Label Requirements

All pet treats must be labeled with the following items for distribution in Colorado. For more information, you may go to AAFCO’s Pet Food Startup Companies webpage.

It is acceptable to make pet treats in a home kitchen as long as good manufacturing practices are followed.

When you have your formulation finalized and the ingredients weighed out, you can list them in descending order of predominance by weight in the Ingredient Statement on each package label. Then you can take the finished product to a feed testing laboratory to analyze the crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture levels to be put into your Guaranteed Analysis on each package label.

Label items required on each dog (and cat) treat package label:

1. Product Name
   1. A unique product name that is different from all other products made by your company
2. Nutritional Adequacy Statement
   1. Must be labeled ‘Treat’ or ‘Snack’ 
   2. Or "(Name of product) is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only"
   3. Or "(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages” only IF it has been tested, formulated, or proven to provide all the nutrients the dog needs for sustenance; verification may be requested.
3. Species the treat is intended for
   1. Such as dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
4. Manufacturer’s Name and Address
   1. Company name and address with city, state, and zip code
   2. If the street address is available on its website, only the city, state, and zip code are required on the label
   3. A website or phone number is not sufficient
   4. A PO Box is acceptable on the label if the company is located in Colorado
5. Net Weight Statement in the bottom 30% of the front label
   1. Formatted such as "Net Weight 6oz; 170g"
6. Ingredient Statement
   1. Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight
   2. May only use ingredients approved by the FDA and shown to be safe for that species
7. Guaranteed Analysis – all in %
   1. Crude Protein minimum (Min), Crude Fat minimum (Min), Crude Fiber maximum (Max), Moisture maximum (Max) – in that order only
   2. Pet food products made from only animal skin and/or cartilage such as rawhide, pizzles, pig ears, and trachea are NOT required to be labeled with a Guaranteed Analysis
8. Lot Code
   1. A code for the company to identify the date of manufacturing and/or packaging; it may be the date of packaging or an expiration date that can be tracked in your records
9. Raw Pet Foods Safe Handling Statement on all products containing raw meat or poultry:
   1. The words "Keep Frozen" in a conspicuous place on the front label panel
   2. A Safe Handling statement must be present on each label:
      1. "Some raw food products may contain bacteria that could cause illness if mishandled.  Follow these instructions for safest use: 1. Keep frozen until ready to use. 2. Thaw in refrigerator or microwave. 3. Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods.  Wash working surfaces, utensils (including cutting boards, preparation utensils, and feeding bowls), hands, and any other items that touch or contact raw meat or poultry with hot soapy water. 4. Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard."

Colorado Registration Requirements:

• Each pet food or treat company must register with the Colorado Feed Program and have an online AgLicense account prior to distribution.  The fee is $75 per year; the expiration date is January 31.  Fees cannot be prorated for a portion of the year.
• Each pet food or treat product label for packages of 10 pounds or less must also be registered in the AgLicense account prior to distribution and labels must meet the requirements.  The distribution fee is $25 per product per year, due by January 31 for the previous year of sales.
• All products sold in over 10-pound package sizes or in bulk are reported as tonnage.  The minimum tonnage fee is $50 per year for the previous year's distribution and sales.
• To register a new Pet Food or Treat Company, send in the completed application available at the CO Feed Program Forms & Downloads webpage with a check for the $75 registration fee.
• An email will be sent with the link to your account in the AgLicense system and instructions for registering the small-package labels.

Please feel free to contact the Colorado Feed Program with any questions at 303-869-9102.

Sample Pet Treat Label

A sample format for a pet treat label is as follows: