Protect the Brand Pet Owners Trust
Pet food, treat, supplement, and supply brands compete in a crowded market full of Amazon knockoffs. We clear and register pet brands, protect packaging, and handle claims disputes and marketplace enforcement.
What pet brands run into
Florida's large pet-owning population and its e-commerce sellers make pet products a fast-growing local category.
Crowded brand names
Pet names often use the same words, such as 'paw,' 'tail,' and 'bark,' making clearance essential.
Federal Trademark Applications →Problem 2Packaging copied by knockoffs
Distinctive packaging can be protected as trade dress.
Federal Trade Dress →Problem 3Health and ingredient claims
Claims about health or ingredients draw competitor challenges.
False Advertising Litigation →Problem 4Amazon knockoffs
Lookalike products and hijacked listings are common in the pet category.
Amazon Brand Registry →What we recommend for pet brands
Our five most important steps for protecting a brand in this industry, in the order most clients need them.
Search past the common pet words
Clear the whole name, not just the distinctive part. Common terms like 'paw' are weak and crowded.
File in every class you sell in
Pet brands often expand from food into treats, supplements, and supplies. File for what you will sell.
Document distinctive packaging
Keep design files and launch dates to support trade dress claims against knockoffs.
Review health and ingredient claims
Keep evidence behind every claim and avoid claims that suggest the product treats disease.
Enroll in Brand Registry at launch
Brand Registry with a pending or registered mark gives tools to stop knockoffs and listing hijacks.
Pet brand filings at the USPTO, 2021 to 2026
Applicants filed 34,812 U.S. trademark applications in this category from 2021 to 2025, and filings in 2025 were down 28% from 2021. 36,275 live registrations cover it today.
Applications filed per year
U.S. applications by filing date. The 2026 bar covers January to late October.
View data table
| Year | Applications filed | Registered to date | Abandoned | Registrations issued that year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,742 | 7,080 | 2,314 | 7,842 |
| 2022 | 5,752 | 3,820 | 1,630 | 5,843 |
| 2023 | 5,537 | 3,540 | 1,441 | 3,935 |
| 2024 | 6,768 | 4,486 | 1,627 | 4,145 |
| 2025 | 7,013 | 4,286 | 1,163 | 5,526 |
| 2026 (Jan.–Oct.) | 6,668 | 1,040 | 143 | 4,925 |
Applications filed and registrations issued
Applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
What happened to each year's applications
Status today of applications filed each year. Recent years are still largely pending.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 28, 2026. The USPTO does not classify filings by industry, so this page counts: Applications whose goods mention pet food, pet treats, dog food, cat food, edible pet treats, pet toys, or pet supplements, in any class. An application is counted once even if it names several qualifying classes.
Top five trademark registrants: Pet Products
The owners that received the most U.S. registrations in this category since January 2021.
U.S. registrations issued since January 2021, by owner
Registrations issued January 2021 to October 2026 in the category described in the data section, by current owner.
View data table
| Rank | Owner | Registrations since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PetSmart Home Office LLC | 301 |
| 2 | Doskocil Manufacturing Company, Inc. (Petmate) | 78 |
| 3 | Mars, Incorporated | 57 |
| 4 | The Companion Brands Company LLC | 45 |
| 5 | Rhodes Petcare Limited | 45 |
Owners identified from a random sample of 16,849 of the 32,216 registrations in the category, then counted across all of them by owner name. Listed for information only. These companies are not clients of the firm, and their inclusion implies no affiliation.
What the law says
- Pet food is regulated by the FDA and by state feed laws, most of which follow AAFCO model regulations. Disease or drug claims can turn a pet product into an animal drug.
- Competitors can challenge unsupported health and ingredient claims under the Lanham Act.
- Pet food is in Class 31, pet supplements in Class 5, toys in Class 28, and leashes, collars, and clothing in Class 18.
Start here: a checklist for a new brand
Your checks are not saved.
Who does what for your brand
A licensed attorney is responsible for each matter, supported by paralegals and docketing staff who manage documents, deadlines, and monitoring.
Attorneys
Strategy, filings, and enforcement.
- Clearance searches and written risk opinions
- Applications drafted for pet goods and services
- Responses to USPTO refusals and oppositions
- Demand letters, licenses, and litigation
Paralegals and docketing
Files complete and deadlines met.
- Specimens, dates of use, and evidence
- Docketing of every USPTO and renewal deadline
- U.S. Customs recordation and Amazon Brand Registry
- Watch notices for new conflicting filings
Client service
Clear, bilingual, and easy to reach.
- Service in English and Spanish
- Copies of every USPTO notice, explained
- A written estimate before each filing
- Renewal reminders well in advance
Frequently asked questions
What class is pet food in?
Class 31. Pet supplements are in Class 5, toys in Class 28, and collars and leashes in Class 18.
Can I make health claims for pet products?
Claims must be truthful and supported. Claims to treat or prevent disease can make a product an animal drug.
How do I stop knockoffs on Amazon?
Enroll in Brand Registry and report infringing listings. Repeat sellers may justify legal action.
Can I protect my packaging?
Yes, if it is distinctive and not functional.
Are pet grooming or boarding businesses covered here?
Pet service businesses fit our Hospitality guidance on licensing and franchising.
Why is my pet brand name being refused?
Usually because of a similar existing mark, or because the name describes the product. A clearance search helps avoid both.
Talk to us about your pet brand
Tell us your brand, what you sell, and where. We will check the register, recommend the right filings, and give you a written estimate.
- Clearance searches
- Federal and Florida filings
- Enforcement and litigation
- Customs and marketplace protection