I find it really incredible how rawhide continues to be sold in pet stores all over the United States despite its known dangers!

I would really like to see this product banned everywhere, but I'm starting with PetSmart which is a huge national chain and the pet store that receives most of my patronage.

When a big name brand store, like PetSmart, devotes an entire aisle to the sale of rawhide products, they are promoting the purchase & consumption of these products by unsuspecting pet owners who trust that their pet store of choice would not market and sell to them anything that puts their beloved pets at risk. Especially when they claim, as PetSmart does, to sell "pet supplies and pet products for healthier, happier pets".

In my first experience as a dog owner, when I went to PetSmart to urgently find something my new puppy could chew on other than my shoes, I found myself in front of the first aisle in the store with dozens of choices for differently shaped & flavored rawhide chews. I filled my basket and proceeded to checkout where the cashier simply thanked me for my purchase. When I later heard from a friend about the dangers of giving rawhide to my dog, which were confirmed by many testimonials I found after an internet search on rawhide, I gathered all the rawhide in the house and the piece from between my puppy's teeth. I was quite upset why nobody in the store warned me about the product I was buying, as they acknowledged my concerns when I went to return it, and seemed to already be aware of its risks.

So what is the problem with rawhide?

First of all, because rawhide is not considered a food item, it is not covered by any labeling, processing, or content laws. This means it can contain any combination of toxic chemical preservatives without being regulated for them. Rawhide chews, particularly those that are imported, have been tested and found to contain toxins including arsenic, lead, titanium oxide, formaldehyde, chromium salts, mercury, cadmium and bromine. Even with the use of these highly questionable preservatives, the FDA reports that Salmonella has been detected in rawhide chews.

In addition to the chemical toxicity, rawhide can swell up to four times its original size and cause life-threatening blockages. When dogs chew off and swallow pieces of rawhide they can get stuck in their esophagus, stomach, or intestines. This almost always requires surgical removal, and can lead to death if not realized and treated quickly. It only takes one piece to cause a costly life-threatening emergency.

With so many safer alternatives to rawhide that PetSmart could profit from instead, It demonstrates a complete lack of social responsibility that they continue to promote & sell rawhide in their stores.