Advertising Law for Dogs

We’ve previously discussed principles to consider when advertising foods, drinks, and supplements. A decision issued by the NAD last week gives us an opportunity to see how those principles play out in ads for pet supplements. In that case, the maker of Greenies dental treats for dogs challenged various health-related claims made by the makers Minties Dental Treats.

At the outset, the NAD noted that health claims require competent and reliable scientific evidence, ideally with testing on the product itself. The advertiser produced a study in which 30 beagles used both products over two 28-day periods and had their teeth examined. Ultimately, the NAD found the study sufficient to support claims for the medium-sized product involved the test, but held that the results could not be extended to the large-sized treats that weren’t tested.

There’s more to this case, so if you make products for animals, you should read the whole decision. But we wanted to highlight the case to note that the analysis here is mostly similar to what we’d expect to see in a case involving ads for human products. So if you make products for our four-legged friends, keep in mind that the same advertising laws apply to you.

In the meantime, we’re starting our own scientific study of these treats at the Mon household.