Bark leads initiative for dog toy safety

Dive Brief:

• Pet retailer Bark is leading an initiative to standardize pet toy safety worldwide for the first time, according to a company press release.
• Working in partnership with ASTM, an international standards organization, Bark has developed its own “state-of-the-art” dog toy testing lab, where it employs advanced technology to mimic real-world use, focusing on chomping, dropping, pulling and general wear and tear. The lab has been in development since 2022, per the release.
• Bark’s Director of Safety Brian Grochal was named chairman of the inaugural subcommittee on pet product safety by ASTM. The committee consists of 106 members from some of the industry’s largest pet product manufacturers and retailers, test labs and other pet product professionals, per the company.

Dive Insight:

Despite there being thousands of pet toys in countries around the world, there currently are no pet product safety standards. Bark now estimates that the first pet product standards through ASTM will be published in early 2025, per a company spokesperson.

“There are more than 40 safety standards for various children’s products in the U.S. alone, yet there are zero safety standards for dog products,” Grochal said in a statement. “This work is long overdue and it’s an honor to lead the committee in building out a portfolio of safety standards that protect our non-human family members.”

Bark plans to share its lab findings with the rest of the industry, believing that transparency will help all companies. In addition to toys, Bark has been testing safety standards for such pet supplies as motor vehicle harnesses, leashes, collars, crates, travel carriers and beds. 

“I’m proud of Bark’s leadership role in the first-ever safety standard for dog toys, furthering our mission to keep dogs happy,” Bark CEO and co-founder Matt Meeker said in a statement. “The toy standard and testing lab are just the beginning. We are committed to making the world a safer place for all dogs and elevate safety standards across the entire dog industry.”

Founded in 2011, Bark has faced revenue headwinds over the past several years. The company reported a net loss for fiscal 2024 of $37 million, which compared to a loss of $61.5 million in 2023. The company in early 2023 also laid off 12% of its full-time workforce.

The brand late last year faced a delisting from the New York Stock Exchange for falling out of compliance with the continued listing standards, but announced it regained compliance this past March.

The company has been building out its C-suite recently, adding three executives this year, including the return of Meghan Knoll in the new position of chief DTC officer.