Of all the considerations you should take into account when shopping for a toy, safety and durability are two of the most important to think about. Your pet deserves nothing less than the safest toy on the market. So how do you know whether or not this is actually what you're getting?
One way to assess the safety of a toy is to look at its materials. If it has any kind of fabric or stuffing in it, these are places where bacteria can get trapped, so they should be avoided whenever possible. A good rule of thumb here is that if your pet can ingest something easily, it probably shouldn't be considered safe. The same holds true for toxic chemicals like lead and arsenic although some toys may have been treated with flame retard ants, these chemicals may not be safe for pets to lick and chew at. There are other chemicals used in the production of some toys that can cause serious harm if ingested - so it's best to avoid certain plastics and vinyls as well.
Now, what about durability? Just because a toy is completely free of harmful materials doesn't mean it will last long; in fact, there are countless ways your pet will find to destroy even the sturdiest toy out there! One way to promote durability is through proper fit. Toys that fit your pet properly (be they too big or too small) offer greater safety as well as prolonging its use. For example, if you have a tiny puppy or kitten, make sure any fabric toys you give it are completely non-toxic, stretchy, plush and easy to clean - but are also big enough that your puppy can't swallow any parts of it. If you have an energetic pet, avoid toys that contain dangerous chemicals or sharp edges. Unfortunately, there's no surefire way of knowing whether a toy is too small but these guidelines will help reduce the likelihood of your pet swallowing something it shouldn't.