Draft:PetSafe Brands

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
  • Comment: Other than the court-case related coverage (which I can't access), none of these sources seem to be reliable independent secondary sources with indepth coverage, which is what we need. Stuartyeates (talk) 07:53, 19 June 2026 (UTC)
  • Comment: Vague and superficial analysis such as The rebrand coincided with a new strategic plan and was positioned as reflecting the company's structure as a holding company for several consumer brands is characteristic of LLM usage. The draft should ideally be rewritten from scratch without LLMs. Helpful Raccoon (talk) 01:32, 16 June 2026 (UTC)
  • Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Gxmedia (talk) 13:41, 10 June 2026 (UTC)


PetSafe Brands
TypePrivate
IndustryPet products
Founded1991 (1991) (as Radio Systems Corporation)
FounderRandy Boyd
Headquarters10427 PetSafe Way,
Knoxville, Tennessee
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Max Rangel (CEO)
John Compton (Chairman)
Randy Boyd (Founder)
ProductsPet containment systems, training products, waste management products, water fountains, automatic feeders, pet doors
BrandsInvisible Fence, PetSafe, SportDOG, Kurgo, Premier Pet
ParentClayton, Dubilier & Rice
Websitepetsafebrands.com

PetSafe Brands, formerly Radio Systems Corporation, is an American manufacturer of pet products based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The company was founded in 1991 by Tennessee entrepreneur Randy Boyd and sells products for cats and dogs under five consumer brands: PetSafe, Invisible Fence, SportDOG, Kurgo, and Premier Pet.[1][2] Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a private investment firm, has owned the company since 2020.[1] Radio Systems Corporation changed its name to PetSafe Brands in March 2024.[3]

History

Founding and early growth (1991–2005)

Radio Systems Corporation was founded in 1991 by Randy Boyd in Knoxville, Tennessee.[4][5] Boyd, whose father owned a manufacturer of electric fencing for livestock, started the company after customers of his earlier fence-distribution business began asking for the Invisible Fence pet containment system, which he could not obtain wholesale from its original maker.[5] Anticipating the expiration of the original patent, Boyd invested personal savings to develop a competing product and began selling it in 1991.[5]

The PetSafe brand was introduced in 1998 following Radio Systems' acquisition of Austin Innovations, which added ultrasonic training products to the portfolio.[2] Through the late 1990s and 2000s, the company expanded into adjacent categories including pet doors, training devices, fountains, feeders, and PetSafe-branded containment systems such as the Spray Control Fence, a citronella-spray alternative to static-correction collars.[2][6] By 2000, Radio Systems Corporation was cited by The New York Times as a technical source on pet containment technology.[6]

Invisible Fence acquisition (2006)

In 2006, Radio Systems Corporation acquired the Invisible Fence Brand from Kohlberg & Company, which had purchased the company in 2001.[7][8] The Invisible Fence brand, founded in 1973 by Richard Peck, had pioneered the consumer electronic pet containment category.[9][6][7]

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquisition (2020)

In July 2020, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) acquired Radio Systems Corporation.[1] The company had more than 800 employees worldwide at the time of the sale, and terms of the transaction were not publicly disclosed.[1][10] John Compton, a former president of PepsiCo and a CD&R operating partner, became Chairman of the Board.[1]

Rebrand to PetSafe Brands (2024)

Radio Systems Corporation announced on March 19, 2024 that it would change its name to PetSafe Brands.[3] CEO Rob Candelino described the rename as part of "our new ambitious Strategic Plan" and said the new name was intended to "better reflect that we are home to some of the most influential brands in our industry."[3]

Leadership transition (2025)

Max Rangel was announced as Chief Executive Officer on November 10, 2025.[11] Rangel had been Global President and CEO of Spin Master Corporation until June 2025, where he oversaw the acquisition of Melissa & Doug.[12][13] Earlier in his career he had held senior leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, The Hershey Company, and S. C. Johnson & Son.[13] His predecessor, Rob Candelino, had been CEO since the 2024 rebrand and had previously spent 25 years at Unilever, most recently as CEO of Unilever Thailand and Regional Head of Inland ASEAN.[14]

Corporate structure

Five consumer brands operate under PetSafe Brands:[2][1]

  • PetSafe, the flagship consumer brand founded in 1998, covers pet containment, training, waste management, water fountains, automatic feeders, and pet doors.
  • Invisible Fence, acquired in 2006, sells professionally-installed containment systems through a dealer network rather than at retail.
  • SportDOG, founded in 2003, makes and sells training equipment for hunting and sporting dogs.
  • Kurgo, acquired in 2018, makes and sells pet travel and outdoor gear.
  • Premier Pet, launched in 2018, consolidated several of the company's existing in-house brands (including Guardian, FroliCat, chewzie dog, Aqua Fountain, and Travel Hound) into a single value-focused line.[15]

Products

PetSafe Brands' product portfolio spans several categories of consumer pet equipment:

  • Pet containment systems: in-ground and wireless electronic dog fences, including the Stay & Play and Guardian product lines. In May 2024, the company released the Guardian GPS + Tracking Dog Fence, a GPS-based containment system that incorporates artificial intelligence-assisted boundary detection.[16] A 2025 Forbes Vetted review of wireless dog fences named PetSafe's Wireless Pet Containment System the best overall pick and its Stay & Play Wireless Fence for Stubborn Dogs the best option for persistent dogs.[17]
  • Self-cleaning litter boxes: the ScoopFree line, which uses silica gel crystal litter and an automated raking mechanism. Good Housekeeping ranked the ScoopFree Crystal second overall in its 2026 review of self-cleaning litter boxes and named it the best value pick.[18] The Spruce Pets also named the ScoopFree Complete Plus its top self-cleaning litter box pick that year.[19] Wired, Tom's Guide, and Cats.com have published additional reviews of the line.[20][21][22]
  • Pet water fountains: the Drinkwell line, including the Drinkwell Platinum and the ceramic Pagoda fountain. In a 2020 People product roundup, PetSafe-branded fountains were named the winner and runner-up in the pet water fountain category.[23]
  • Automatic pet feeders: the Smart Feed line, which dispenses scheduled meals controlled via a mobile app. The Toronto Star featured the Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder in a 2021 article on home technology for pet owners.[24]
  • Pet travel and outdoor gear: the Kurgo line, including harnesses, backpacks, jackets, and vehicle seat covers. In 2021, Wirecutter named the Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Harness Quick Release the best dog harness.[25] People also recognized PetSafe's Walk-Along Outdoor Harness as a 2020 runner-up.[23]
  • Training products: remote training collars, bark control devices, clickers, and head halters. The Gentle Leader head halter has been recommended by the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.[26]
  • Pet doors: including microchip-activated doors acquired through the company's purchase of Pet Porte.[2]

Philanthropy

PetSafe has run a community philanthropy program since 2011, originally under the name Bark for Your Park and renamed PetSafe Unleashed after the 2024 corporate rebrand. The original grant contest funded construction and improvement of public dog parks across the United States. By 2025, it had distributed more than $1.65 million in grants supporting over 100 parks in 40 U.S. states.[27] The city of Sevierville, Tennessee operates a public dog park named the PetSafe Unleashed Dog Park; at its grand opening, Mayor Bryan Atchley declared "PetSafe Day in Sevierville."[28] In August 2023, the program staged a pop-up dog park at Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles to celebrate International Dog Day and to kick off that year's national contest, with Jessica Simpson and dog trainer Brandon McMillan in attendance.[29] As of 2026, the annual contest is on hiatus.[27] The sister brand Invisible Fence operates Project Breathe, which donates pet oxygen mask kits to fire departments and emergency responders in the United States and Canada.[7]

Awards and recognition

Products from PetSafe Brands have received recognition from industry awards programs including the Pet Independent Innovation Awards in multiple years.[30] Under its former Radio Systems Corporation name, the company appeared on Fortune's Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production list in 2018, 2019, and 2021.[31][32]

Litigation

California class action (2022–2026)

In 2022, California consumers sued Radio Systems Corporation in a class action alleging that PetSafe shock collars had been falsely marketed as safe.[33] The plaintiffs argued that the company's preferred descriptors for the devices' effect ("static correction," "stimulation," "surprise," and "tickle") concealed evidence that the products caused physical and psychological harm to animals.[33] The case settled in 2025 for approximately $1.9 million. Claims were open to California buyers of remote training collars, in-ground and wireless fences, pet barriers, and bark control collars sold between October 1, 2018 and October 31, 2022, with a final approval hearing scheduled for January 26, 2026.[34]

Several governments outside the United States have separately restricted electronic training collars. England announced an intent to ban such collars in 2018, though that ban excluded electronic containment fences.[35] Wales and Scotland have introduced their own restrictions.[35]

Halo Collar litigation (2023–2025)

In late 2023, Invisible Fence and Radio Systems Corporation filed separate lawsuits against Protect Animals With Satellites (PAWS), the maker of the Halo Collar.[36][3] The complaints alleged unfair competition and false advertising, focusing on PAWS's Google ads targeting searches for "invisible fence" and its claims that the Halo Collar was safer and more accurate than competing systems.[36][37] The two cases were consolidated in December 2024, with co-founders Ken Ehrman and dog behaviorist Cesar Millan named as defendants along with the company.[38] Both sides reached confidential settlements in 2025. According to Inc., Ehrman estimated his company's legal costs for the lawsuit at approximately $2 million.[37]

See also

References

  1. Clouse, Allie (May 12, 2020). "Private investors buy Radio Systems Corporation, but company will stay in Knoxville". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  2. "Company History". PetSafe Brands. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  3. Kellar, Liz (March 21, 2024). "Randy Boyd-founded company retools as PetSafe Brands, while suit against PAWS heats up". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  4. "UT President Randy Boyd". University of Tennessee System. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  5. Gibson, Mike (April 1, 2015). "Who Is Randy Boyd? Knoxville's Least-Known Animal-Loving Multi-Millionaire Business Magnate Philanthropist". Knoxville Mercury. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  6. "The Electronic Fence: Guarding the Dog". The New York Times. July 20, 2000. Archived from the original on July 20, 2000. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  7. For full corporate history of the Invisible Fence brand prior to acquisition, see Invisible Fence Inc.
  8. Leduc, Doug (October 17, 2006). "Acquisition likely to result in layoffs for Garrett's Invisible Technologies". Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Indiana Economic Digest.
  9. Whittman, Bob (November 30, 1997). "Stay The Late Richard Peck's Invisible Fence Keeps Pets Confined". The Morning Call. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  10. "Private investment firm buys Radio Systems Corporation". WBIR-TV. Knoxville, Tennessee. May 12, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  11. "PetSafe Appoints Max Rangel as Chief Executive Officer" (Press release). PetSafe Brands. November 3, 2025. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  12. "Spin Master Names Christina Miller CEO as Max Rangel Prepares to Exit". The Toy Book. June 23, 2025. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  13. "Sally Beauty Holdings Appoints Max Rangel to Board of Directors". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  14. "ScottsMiracle-Gro Appoints Rob Candelino to Board of Directors". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. November 5, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  15. "The Premier Pet Story". Premier Pet. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  16. "PetSafe Introduces the World's Safest GPS Dog Fence and Tracker" (Press release). PetSafe. May 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  17. Sales, Fran (April 29, 2025). "4 Best Wireless Dog Fences—And What To Know Before Getting One". Forbes. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  18. Hartshorn, Jessica (January 2, 2026). "5 Best Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes, Tested By Extra-Fussy Cats". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  19. Beaven, Katherine Alex (June 25, 2026). "The 10 Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Tested and Reviewed". The Spruce Pets. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  20. Hill, Simon. "The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats". Wired. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  21. "PetSafe ScoopFree Smart Self-Cleaning Litterbox review". Tom's Guide. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  22. "PetSafe ScoopFree Self Cleaning Litter Box Review". Cats.com. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  23. Smith, Morgan; Bender, Kelli (December 10, 2020). "The Top Pet Products of 2020". People. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  24. Saltzman, Marc (July 14, 2021). "Home technology for Fido and Fluffy". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  25. "The Best Dog Harness". Wirecutter. The New York Times. June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  26. "Head Halters in Dogs" (PDF). University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Animal Behavior Service. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  27. "PetSafe Unleashed". PetSafe. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  28. "PetSafe Unleashed Dog Park". City of Sevierville, Tennessee, Parks & Recreation Department. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  29. "Inside PetSafe's Unleashed Event With Jessica Simpson". Loop Magazine. August 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  30. "PetSafe Products Honored with Pet Independent Innovation Awards". aNb Media. September 19, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  31. "The 20 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production". Fortune. September 11, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  32. "Radio Systems Corporation: 2021 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production". Fortune. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  33. "Class Action Claims PetSafe Shock Collars Falsely Advertised as Safe, Effective". ClassAction.org. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  34. Todd, Zazie (November 2025). "Shock Collars in Dog Training Are 'Gravely Dangerous,' Says Court". Companion Animal Psychology. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  35. "Electric shock collars for pets to be banned". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  36. Kellar, Liz (January 11, 2024). "Pet product company founded by Randy Boyd files lawsuit against its competitor". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  37. Conrad, Jennifer (November 12, 2025). "Legal Beagle: How Halo Collar's Co-Founder and CEO Ended Two Costly Lawsuits". Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  38. Invisible Fence, Inc. v. Protect Animals with Satellites, LLC (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee December 12, 2024), Text.

Category:Companies based in Knoxville, Tennessee Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1991 Category:1991 establishments in Tennessee Category:Pet equipment Category:Private equity portfolio companies Category:American companies established in 1991