Cannabis for Fido? Check out California’s proposed rules for pet products

California’s Department of Cannabis Control is working toward new rules that could protect pets from potentially harmful products.

Hemp and cannabis-based products each contain THC, the chemical that produces psychoactive effects. Currently, only hemp-based products can be sold for animal consumption — so long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. Owners often turn to these products to help alleviate their pets’ anxiety or joint pain. Nationally, hemp-based pet products are part of a multimillion dollar industry.

State law requires the Department of Cannabis Control to create a regulatory framework for cannabis-based products, and to announce those rules by July 1. And now the state is seeking for public comment.

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What specific changes do the proposed rules include?

Under the proposed regulations, pet products will be subject to strict guidelines throughout the supply chain, including manufacturing, packaging, labeling and testing, all to ensure the products aren’t adulterated or misbranded.

“[W]e are setting the stage for high-quality products that pet owners can trust,” said Nicole Elliott, the department’s director, in a statement.

The proposed rules would allow for the sale of products that animals can consume, as well as products that can be applied to their bodies. All of these products would be required to contain no more than one milligram of THC per package.

According to the department, “current scientific understanding does not support the safety of high-THC products for animals.”

The one milligram threshold, the department added, “is designed to reduce the potential for adverse effects, ensuring safe and responsible use.”

The department has also stated that the threshold “will reduce the risk of toxicosis and death from exposure to unsafe levels of THC.”

How can I weigh in?

If you'd like to comment on the proposed regulations, you have until Monday, June 23, to do so.

You can send your comments to the Department of Cannabis Control:

• by mail: DCC Legal Affairs Division, 2920 Kilgore Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
• by email: publiccomment@cannabis.ca.gov 

Be sure to reference the rulemaking topic "DCC-2025-02-R: Animal Cannabis Product Standards” in your correspondence.

You can also weigh in during a virtual public hearing at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 24. (The link to participate will be available on the department’s website before 9 a.m. on the day of the hearing.)