The Evolution of Pet Packaging?

 

You may have noticed that the industries listed on the Liquid Packaging Solutions website do not include a category or industry for pet packaging.  This is true for the simple reason that products available for your cat, dog or other animal friends truly mimic the products available for humans, falling under the same industries.  As a result, packaging equipment - from rinsing machines to liquid fillers, capping machines, labeling equipment and conveyor systems - used to package human products are usually the same packaging machines that will be used to package for pets.  However, many in the animal kingdom - so to speak - are now finding the benefits of producing and packaging specifically for our animal friends.

 

The pharmaceutical industry, for example, will serve both humans and pets.  The difference in this industry may simply lie in the dosage.  Dr. Rae Ann Van Pelt, DVM and co-founder of Family Pet Hospital in Chicago, noted in a recent article that a "majority of the drugs that we (veterinarians) use are human drugs."  These medications, used by MD's and DVM's, are typically produced in sizes for humans, creating a challenge for the animal doctors.  However, compounding pharmacies are being used in some cases to produce capsules, liquids and chewables specifically for animals.  Smaller doses and unique products create new packaging challenges.  These challenges, along with some animal specific pharmaceuticals, may be one reason that pet packaging seems to be moving into its own category among packaging industries.

 

Of course, the food and beverage industry can be applied to both humans and animals as well, as can personal care products such as shampoos, soaps and deodorants.  Again, the production and packaging of the products for humans versus products for animals may differ.  Some pet products are produced in smaller serving sizes, such as single serve cat foods.  Other products may be packaged in bulk, also including some pet foods or treats.  These differences also may eventually move pet packaging into its own category under packaging industries served by manufacturers like LPS.  

 

Believe it or not, even the bottled water industry caters specifically to pets.  Molli's Choice waters are specially formulated for pets to help develop healthy teeth, bones, eyes and heart.  Look for the next innovation in the packaging industry to be cat and dog friendly caps, allowing your canine and feline family members to serve themselves when thirsty!   

 

Okay, perhaps the pet-friendly closures are a stretch, but the fact remains that packaging specifically for pets is becoming a common practice and the pet industry may be ready for its own category in the packaging machinery manufacturing world. As products are developed specifically for the pet industry, so will packaging machinery be specifically developed to handle these products.  For example, a filling machine packaging pharmaceuticals for pets and other animals may be filling single dose tubes or vials that are much smaller than the same or similar packaging for the human doseage of the medication.  

 

If you have a beast-ly product and have questions about the best way to package that product, call a Packaging Specialist at Liquid Packaging Solutions toll free today at 1-888-393-3693.