What was recalled
Beginning in November 2014, Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, Colorado voluntarily recalled all lot numbers of three Target-private-label dog treat products: Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks (6-count 5-inch packages), Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears, and Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats. The bully sticks recall specifically named lot codes including BESTBY20APR2014DEN, BESTBY01JUN2014DEN, BESTBY23JUN2014DEN, and BESTBY23SEP2014DEN; the recall ultimately covered all production lots because surveillance testing flagged multiple separate lots over a 6-month sampling window.
The product was sold nationwide at Target retail stores from April through September 2014. Target coordinated nationwide consumer-side returns and the recall expanded over several weeks as additional lots tested positive. The FDA archived the recall scope and AVMA covered the clinical recommendations.
Why it was recalled
The recall was triggered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s routine surveillance sampling program, which periodically tests pet treats and chews for microbial contamination. Multiple Boots & Barkley lots tested positive for Salmonella in independent state testing. Beef bully sticks and pig ears are made from minimally processed animal byproducts (typically dried but not high-temperature cooked) and are a documented Salmonella exposure vector. The USDA-inspected source material can carry Salmonella, and the low-temperature drying process used to produce bully sticks and pig ears reduces but does not consistently eliminate the bacteria. Many bully stick manufacturers have since adopted post-drying irradiation or high-pressure-processing steps to inactivate Salmonella, but irradiation labeling requirements have slowed broad adoption. Kasel Associated Industries discontinued the Boots & Barkley contract manufacturing relationship in 2015.
Health risks for your pet
No consumer illnesses (animal or human) were reported in connection with the recalled Boots & Barkley lots. Had affected product reached pets, the clinical pattern would have followed standard Salmonella enteritis in dogs: diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, fever, anorexia, typically self-limited in healthy adult dogs but more severe in puppies, seniors, or immunocompromised animals. The human handling-hygiene risk is particularly important with bully sticks and pig ears: these are owner-handled directly when given to dogs (unlike kibble dispensed from a bag) and dogs chew them in living areas where the wet, partially-consumed chew can contact carpet, furniture, or human food surfaces. CDC has repeatedly documented Salmonella outbreaks tied to dog-treat handling, with infants and young children at elevated risk because of floor-level exposure. The 2014 Kasel/Target event ended without documented illness, but the exposure pathway was real.
What to do if you bought affected product
All recalled Boots & Barkley lots have long-expired Best Before dates; no household pantry should still contain affected product. If you give your dog bully sticks, pig ears, or similar minimally-processed animal-source treats today, follow standard handling hygiene: wash hands after handling, supervise consumption to limit floor and furniture contact, discard partially-consumed pieces rather than leaving them out, and clean any surface a wet chew has contacted. Treats with irradiation or HPP processing on the label have a lower Salmonella exposure surface than minimally processed dried treats.
How this affects KibbleIQ’s grade
Boots & Barkley is Target’s private-label pet treat line and is not currently in the KibbleIQ scored database — our methodology v15 covers commercial pet food (kibble, fresh, raw-coated) and our separate Treats Rubric v1.0 covers selected commercial treat brands per our published methodology. Bully sticks, pig ears, and similar minimally-processed animal-source chews carry an inherent Salmonella exposure surface that no rubric can fully eliminate through ingredient scoring alone. Pet owners who feed these treats should look for products with documented post-drying pathogen-inactivation steps (irradiation, HPP, or high-temperature finishing) and follow strict handling hygiene. Kasel Associated Industries no longer manufactures the Boots & Barkley line; current product is sourced through different manufacturers under post-2014 quality-systems protocols.