National Animal Supplement Council Seal Ensuring Highest Standards of Quality in Animal Supplement Industry
Valley Center, CA – February 2015 – When it comes to the supplements people are giving their beloved dogs, cats, horses and other companion animals, pet parents want to know these products are providing their intended benefits from companies they can trust. The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) has introduced 2 new web sites focused on people making buying decisions to help ensure confidence in the products they buy and help provide credible information to animal owners. The NASC Quality Seal certifies not only what is taking place behind the scenes during their manufacturing process, NASC’s Preferred Supplier Program helps members use quality raw materials that come from trusted suppliers. NASC also buys and randomly tests products to make sure they meet label claim for ingredients. To provide pet product companies and retailers more information about the NASC seal, the Council will be participating in the upcoming Global Pet Expo, March 4–6, 2015 in Orlando, FL.
According to a special Pet Supplements issue of “Animal Nutrition Insights” magazine, “in 2012, pet supplements were a $1.3 billion business in the United States alone.” However, despite this growth, there are challenges that must be overcome, including “regulatory hurdles, stability issues, safety matters, palatability concerns and adverse event monitoring.” Enter the NASC, which, as the publication explains, “has worked in collaboration with federal and state agencies to create a favorable regulatory climate—allowing animal supplements into the market and helping facilitate their expansion.”
Focusing on Buyers:
The NASC Seal of Quality on an animal supplement will give buyers and pet parents peace of mind that the products they are giving their furry friends have passed the NASC’s rigorous certification standards. As part of the certification, NASC will verifies quality ingredients, quality production processes, continuous product and data monitoring and allowable product claims, specifically:
- The company must have a Quality Control Manual in place that provides written Standard Operating Procedures for production process control. This helps ensure the company is providing a consistent and quality product and is almost identical for the standards for human products.
- The company must utilize the NASC Adverse Event Reporting System (NAERS™) to continually monitor and evaluate products and ingredients.
- The company must follow proper Label Guidelines for all products and all forms of labeling.
- The company’s product labels must include any specific Warning and Caution Statements suggested by the Food & Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and the NASC Scientific Advisory Committee.
- The company will have to comply with independent random product testing requirements in order to maintain the Seal.
Only after the company has successfully passed an on-site quality audit and comprehensive inspection, are they granted permission to display the Seal on their products, websites, product literature and advertisements. Use of the Seal demonstrates the supplement manufacturer has implemented the NASC requirements and is committed to the highest current standards of quality in the animal supplement industry today.
As a result, the Seal of Quality is a mark of assurance that consumers are purchasing from a reputable animal supplement company. Additionally with the launch of two new consumer websites, NASC offers one-stop expertise for consumers to get all their pet health information, to learn about pet supplements and to stay on top of the latest news from experts. The Council has entered into a partnership of support with PetHealthLive (www.pethealthlive.com ) and HorseHealthLive (www.horsehealthlive.com)
Considerations by Retail Buyers:
“As a national pet specialty retailer, we strive to provide high quality products for pet parents. In fact, when we consider new products, the manufacturer’s status with the NASC is a key consideration. We prefer products with the NASC Seal of Quality and work to register our private brand supplements.” said Jen Loesch, Vice President, Pet Services, Dog/Cat Supplies and Companion Animal at Petco.
Attendees of the 2015 Global Pet Expo are invited to learn more about the
National Animal Supplement Council’s Seal of Quality at Booth #3173.
About National Animal Supplement Council:
Members of the National Animal Supplement Council are concerned and committed manufacturers of animal health supplements across the globe. Together they endeavor to improve the quality of such products sold to consumers for the benefit of their horses, cats, dogs and other companion animals. The NASC’s overriding goal is to promote the health and well-being of non-human food chain animals that are given animal health supplements by their owners, and to protect and enhance the integrity of the animal health product industry. NASC supports www.PetHealthLive.com and www.HorseHealthLive.com to provide meaningful information regarding all aspects of health for dogs, cats and horses. As part of the ongoing effort to improve and standardize the animal health supplement industry, NASC initiated its Quality Seal Program to ensure the highest current standards of quality in the industry today.
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