CBD for animals: what the law says in France (and why we don't sell it)

CBD for animals: what the law says in France (and why we don't sell it)

Reading time: ~9 min, Cloud Store CBD analysis — an honest article, with nothing to sell you.

We often get asked: "Do you have CBD oil for my dog?" The answer is no, and it's not because we haven't thought about it. It's a deliberate choice: in France, in 2026, no CBD product for animals is legally authorized for sale. Neither as a supplement nor as a veterinary medicine. Selling you a "special dog" oil would be selling you a product that the law considers illegal — and making you believe it's regulated when it isn't.

The subject deserves more than just a sales pitch, because it concerns something sensitive: your pet's health. So we're doing the opposite of what most websites do. We calmly explain what the regulations say, why all these products are in a forbidden zone, the real risk that THC poses to a dog or cat, and especially who to turn to if your companion has a problem.

CBD for animals: Is it legal in France?

No. To date, selling or marketing a CBD product for animals is not authorized in France. The reason is simple: for a product to be legal, it must fall within a framework provided by law and have received authorization. However, CBD for animals fails at both possible doors — that of animal feed and that of veterinary medicine — due to lack of authorization in either case.

This is not a homegrown interpretation. In 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture reiterated that food products containing unauthorized CBD are illegal products that must be withdrawn from the market, and that general control services are carrying out these withdrawals. On the animal side, the DGCCRF (consumer fraud agency) and the DDPP (departmental veterinary services) have been carrying out these withdrawals since late 2023. In short: it is not a vague legal vacuum, it is a lack of authorization that the authorities are actively enforcing.

Two doors, twice closed

To understand, you need to know that a CBD product for animals can, in theory, be classified into two legal categories. Both are currently closed. It is this double lock that makes the situation so clear.

Option 1 — CBD as food: no authorized additives

If you present a CBD oil or treats as a supplement for your animal, the product falls under European Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, which governs animal feed additives. This regulation is strict: an additive can only be placed on the market if it has received prior authorization, granted at European level after evaluation of its safety and efficacy. This evaluation is carried out in France by the ANSES and at European level by the EFSA.

However, to date, no additive derived from hemp or CBD has obtained this authorization. The logical conclusion is that it is not permitted to produce, place on the market, or use animal feed containing CBD. This is not a definitive condemnation of CBD — if a solid scientific file were validated one day, the door could open. But as long as this is not the case, selling this type of product remains illegal. This is the same logic that governs, for humans, food CBD in France.

Option 2 — CBD as veterinary medicine: no marketing authorization (AMM)

Second possibility: as soon as a CBD product claims an effect on the animal's health — "calms anxiety," "relieves joint pain in older dogs" — it legally falls into the category of veterinary medicine, regulated by European Regulation (EU) 2019/6. And a veterinary medicine can only be sold with a marketing authorization (AMM), issued after evaluating its quality, safety, and efficacy.

As early as 2019, the National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products (ANMV, attached to ANSES) recalled this rule: any CBD product claiming a therapeutic purpose for an animal is a veterinary medicine, and none have received an AMM. In the absence of validated studies, no claims can be made, and prescription is not authorized. Non-compliance exposes to sanctions and product withdrawal.

No matter how you look at it, the product therefore falls into an unauthorized category. That's why we talk about two closed doors rather than a grey area: there is no third open path.

"But animals have an endocannabinoid system, don't they?"

That's true, and it's also the most common argument. Like us, mammals — including dogs and cats — have an endocannabinoid system, with receptors (CB1, CB2) distributed throughout the nervous system and the body. On paper, CBD therefore has "something" to act on. This is what fuels owners' interest: a study published in 2025 in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior shows that some French pet owners already use CBD on their animals, most often in the hope of calming stress or discomfort.

But having receptors does not mean that "it works," nor that "it's safe." Between a theoretical biological mechanism and a product whose useful dose, safety, and interactions in a given species are known, there is a gap — and this gap is precisely what clinical studies and authorization bridge. Until a product has passed this stage, no one can seriously tell you a safe dose for your dog or cat. "Animals have receptors" is a starting point for research, not a disguised authorization.

The real risk: THC is toxic to dogs and cats

Here's the point that sellers of CBD for animals often overlook, and it's probably the most important. Cannabis — and THC in particular — is toxic to dogs and cats, who are much more sensitive to it than humans. With the spread of cannabis products, veterinary poison control centers are seeing an increase in cases of intoxication, with dogs being the most commonly affected animals as they readily ingest anything lying around.

The problem is that "CBD for animals" products sold online are by definition uncontrolled: without a legal framework, there's no guarantee of the actual CBD content, nor, more importantly, the absence of THC beyond trace amounts. Giving your animal a product whose exact composition and appropriate dosage for its species and weight are unknown is taking an unnecessary risk. A dog weighing 6 kg does not react like a human weighing 70 kg.

Why Cloud Store CBD doesn't sell it

Let's be clear about our positioning. Cloud Store CBD is a brand of CBD for adults: flowers, resins, oils, cosmetics. We do not sell CBD for animals, and we will not sell it until the law authorizes it and no serious framework guarantees the safety of animals. Three reasons, which are the same as for the rest of our catalog.

• We do not sell illegal products. Stocking an oil "for dogs" today would be marketing a product that the authorities are withdrawing from the market. It's not a question of commercial courage; it's a question of respecting the law and you.
• We make no health claims. This is our rule across the entire range: we have never written that a product "treats" or "cures" anything. For an animal that cannot say what it feels, this would be even more dishonest.
• We play fair, as with synthetic molecules. Just as we reject HHC, H4CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids, we prefer to tell you "this product has no place here" rather than riding a trend. Trust is built that way.

Capturing traffic on "CBD for dogs" by selling you an oil would be easy. But it would go against everything we try to do: a transparent brand that accepts saying no when it's no.

Your pet has a problem? The right place is the vet

If you're looking for CBD because your dog is anxious during storms, because your old cat seems to be in pain, or for any other health reason, the useful approach is not to buy oil online: it's to talk to a veterinarian. They are the only person authorized to examine the animal, make a diagnosis, and prescribe a treatment that is truly authorized and adapted to its species, weight, and condition.

The good news is that there are already authorized and evaluated veterinary medicines for most common problems (pain, anxiety, joints). They have, unlike CBD for animals, passed the safety and efficacy stage. Your companion deserves this level of seriousness, not a gamble on an uncontrolled bottle.

FAQ

Cloud Store CBD is a CBD brand based in Charente, intended for adults. This article is an informative analysis: it makes no health claims and does not replace the advice of a veterinarian. In case of your pet's health problems, consult a professional.