Learn how a GOP CBD crackdown could affect America’s pets as owners face shrinking wellness options.
As conversations in Republican-led states and within segments of the party intensify around restricting access, one group often left out of the debate is America’s beloved animals. Here is how a GOP CBD crackdown could affect America’s pets. With CBD widely used to ease anxiety, pain, inflammation, and age-related discomfort in animals, a potential ban—or tighter federal and state restrictions—could create a major ripple effect for millions of pet owners, many of whom identify as Republican.
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Pet ownership is one of the strongest lifestyle common denominators in the United States. Roughly 66% of American households have at least one pet, and surveys consistently show Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to own pets, and to own multiple pets. Dogs, cats, horses, and even aging farm animals have increasingly benefited from CBD products marketed specifically for animals. These products are non-intoxicating and contain minimal or no THC, the compound associated with cannabis’s psychoactive effects.
For many owners, CBD has become part of a normal wellness routine. It is commonly used to help manage chronic joint pain in older dogs, reduce mobility issues in senior cats, calm pets with storm or firework anxiety, and support animals recovering from surgery. In horses, CBD is often used for inflammation, joint stiffness, and post-exercise recovery. Veterinarians—while restricted in how openly they can recommend CBD depending on state laws—frequently acknowledge many of their patients show improved comfort and lower stress levels when CBD is part of their care plan.
A significant portion of CBD buyers for pets are middle-aged or older adults who have aging animals at home. These owners often rely on CBD as a safer, gentler alternative to prescription sedatives, long-term NSAIDs, or opioids, all of which can carry risks for senior pets. For them, a GOP-driven CBD ban could mean returning to less effective or potentially more harmful interventions.
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Many Republican lawmakers support CBD access as part of the hemp industry, a major agricultural sector in GOP-leaning states. However, other conservative blocs have more recently pushed for restrictions, citing purity concerns, inconsistent regulation, and fears of unregulated derivative products entering the market. A broad CBD ban—whether intentional or the result of sweeping legislation targeting hemp derivatives—would leave pet owners with far fewer options and likely drive demand toward unregulated or black-market alternatives.
For now, the future of CBD access remains uncertain. But what is clear is that millions of pets—particularly older ones managing chronic pain or anxiety—could feel the consequences first. And with a large share of those pets living in Republican households, the debate over CBD is quickly becoming far more personal than political.
