Who We Are
Our Mission Statement
APSA exists to raise the standard for pet safety across the UK — through rigorous certification, independent oversight, and a genuine commitment to the animals and people we serve.
Founding Purpose
Why APSA Was Founded
The Animal Pet Safety Alliance was founded in response to a simple, uncomfortable truth: the UK pet product and services industry was growing faster than its standards. New technologies, new products, and new services were reaching consumers — and their pets — without adequate independent scrutiny.
APSA was established to fill that gap. Not as a regulator with enforcement powers, but as an independent alliance with the credibility, expertise, and industry relationships to set meaningful standards and hold members to them.
We are self funded, not reliant on government grants. We answer to our members, our standards committee, and the public — not to any single commercial interest. That independence is our most important asset.
Core Pillars
What We Stand For
Safety & Standards
Every product and service that carries the APSA mark has been rigorously assessed against our published safety framework. We maintain an independent Standards Committee — comprising veterinary professionals, consumer advocates, and technical experts — that reviews and updates our criteria annually. No product gets a free pass. Not even the ones we love.
Our standards cover physical safety, digital security, environmental impact, and animal welfare. We publish our full criteria openly — because transparency isn't optional, it's the point.
Innovation & Technology
The pet industry is one of the fastest-growing consumer sectors in the UK — and technology is transforming what's possible. From blockchain-verified microchip registries to AI-assisted health monitoring, APSA is at the forefront of responsible innovation.
We don't just certify existing products — we actively work with innovators, startups, and established manufacturers to help bring genuinely transformative technologies to market safely and responsibly.
Oversight & Accountability
Governing bodies are only as good as their governance. APSA operates with a fully independent board, and an open forum for our members. We hold our members to high standards — and we hold ourselves to higher ones.
Our oversight extends to post-certification monitoring, incident reporting, and mandatory recall procedures. If something goes wrong with an APSA-certified product, we're the first to know — and the first to act.
Membership
Who APSA Represents
Manufacturers
Pet product makers committed to safety-first design and independent certification.
Technology Companies
Innovators building the next generation of pet health, safety, and management tools.
Insurance Providers
Insurers who recognise that better data means better products for everyone.
Veterinary Practices
Vets and vet nurses who are the frontline of pet health and welfare.
Rescue Organisations
Charities and rescue centres working tirelessly to reunite pets with their owners.
Pet Owners
Because ultimately, everything we do is for the people — and animals — at the end of the lead.
Governance
How We're Structured
APSA operates under a transparent governance framework with an independent board, a standards committee, and a public accountability charter.
Dr. Sarah Whitmore
Chair, APSA Board
BVSc MRCVS
James Okafor
Director of Standards
BSc (Hons) Consumer Safety
Priya Mehta
Director of Technology
MSc Computer Science, FBCS
Tom Griffiths
Director of Industry Relations
Former ABI Insurance Policy Lead
A Genuine Commitment to Animal Welfare
Every individual at APSA is here because they care deeply about the wellbeing of animals. Our board members, standards committee, and leadership team are all pet owners — and that personal connection informs everything we do. Our CEO's parrot, Gerald, has been known to contribute his own views during board meetings.
That commitment is what drives our rigour. When reviewing a product, we assess it against our full compliance checklist and our own elevated standards — and we ask whether we would trust it with our own animals. Both must be satisfied before any certification is granted.