Non-Toxic Dog Toys Kntted in Kenya

Recently there has been a lot more awareness of the  potential dangers of PVC.  PVC, or polyvinyl chloride,  is everywhere: all kinds of plastics, wiring, storage containers, etc.  It is really almost impossible to avoid it.     The problem with PVC is that in addition to its production being harmful to the environment, PVC contains known carcinogens; particularly Dioxin.  Unfortunately PVC is also a very common component in dog toys......and we all know where dog toys are going.

Right in our dogs mouths.

So if your dog is chewing on a PVC containing toy they are basically ingesting harmful carcinogens.   Unfortunately a huge number of toys contain PVC....balls, squeakies, stuffies, etc.   Fortunately there are lots of new safe toys on the market, many of them are sold at my favorite online dog store: Olive Green Dog.

One option is there knitted dog toys from Kenya.  Weasley got one of the cute little  penguins for his birthday.

We already have the alien a tenth birthday present for Norbert, known as Paul in our house, and he is a family favorite.

The great thing about these toys is that like everything sold at Olive Green Dog they are all natural.   They are made with organic wool, natural dies, and non toxic stuffing.  Each toy is hand knitted by a women in Kenya, part of a collective or artisans that are part of a program that promotes the work of African artists so they can support their families and work in humane conditions.  So by buying the toys you are helping these women and their families.

The two down sides to the toys are that they are pricey, most likely because they are knitted by hand,  but at least you know they are not being produced in slave labor like conditions.  The second down side is that they are super durable, most likely because they are actually designed for babies not dogs.  Paul the alien has stood the test of time but Weasley ripped his penguin easily (at least I didn't have to worry about the toxic nature of the stuffing while I pulled it out of his mouth). I removed the stuffing and he is still enjoying the penguin in its unstuffed state.