Where every verdict comes from
Every food, plant, medication and household item in our database gets a species-specific verdict — Safe, In moderation or Never — checked against established animal-health authorities before it's published:
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — toxicity classifications for foods, plants and household substances.
- Pet Poison Helpline — poison profiles, onset windows and severity guidance.
- American Kennel Club (AKC) — canine nutrition guidance.
- Published veterinary references for species differences (what's fine for a dog can be dangerous for a cat — so every item is checked twice, once per species).
The full source list lives on our Sources & method page, and the key sources are cited at the bottom of every food page.
Our five editorial rules
- When in doubt, we say "no". If the evidence is mixed or dose-dependent in a way an owner can't judge at home (grapes are the classic case), we err on the side of caution and say so.
- Emergencies lead with the phone number. On every dangerous item, the first call to action is your vet or a poison line — ASPCA 888-426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 — never our content.
- Species get separate answers. Dogs and cats metabolize foods differently; we never copy a dog verdict onto a cat page.
- No invented credentials. We will never label something "vet reviewed" unless a licensed veterinarian actually reviewed it. Today our verdicts are researched and cross-checked by the CanMyPet editorial team against the authorities above — and we're honest about that distinction.
- We update as guidance evolves. Toxicology guidance changes; when it does, the database and every generated page change with it.
What we will never do
- Diagnose your pet, calculate personalized doses, or replace your veterinarian.
- Publish "safe" claims to please advertisers — verdicts are never for sale.
- Bury the answer. The verdict comes first on every page, always.
Who is behind CanMyPet
CanMyPet is an independent project built and maintained by Muellers Media Works (MMW) — a small team of pet owners, writers and developers. We built the site for the moment we kept living ourselves: standing in the kitchen, dropped food on the floor, dog already sniffing it, needing a straight answer now.
Are you a licensed veterinarian? We're actively looking for veterinary professionals to review and co-sign our most-read pages. If you'd like to partner (credited, of course), get in touch.
See it in practice
Pick any food and you'll find the verdict, the why, the safe amount, the sources and the emergency numbers — all on one page.