3.5M Calico Critters Recalled Following Reports of Bottles and Pacifiers Causing Choking Deaths Among Young Children

More than 3.2 million Calico Critters animal toys are being recalled following reports that indicate small bottles and pacifiers included with the toy pose a severe choking hazard, which has already resulted in the deaths of two children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Calico Critters recall on March 9, indicating that the manufacturer is aware of multiple incidents where the small animal toys caused children to choke after placing the small pacifier or bottle in their mouths.

Among the reports of children choking on the Calico Critters accessories are two fatal incidents, including a 2-year-old child who died in New Mexico in 2018, and a 9-month-old child who died in 2015 in Japan.

The recalled Calico Critters are flocked animal figures and sets that come with bottles and pacifiers, which are small and can easily be swallowed by young children. The accessories can become lodged in the throat and block a young child’s breathing, the CPSC warns.

The toys were first introduced in Japan in the 1980s and have been sold worldwide since.

The recall includes more than 50 types of flocked animal figures ranging from bears, cats, rabbits, and elephants as well as a wide range of other animal figures and furniture sets. The bottle accessories were sold in yellow, pink, blue, and orange colors. One style of the bottle has two yellow handles. The pacifier accessories were sold in yellow, orange, pink, dark pink, blue, and teal colors. A list of affected items and their item numbers is included in the recall notice linked above. The item numbers are printed on the bottom of the product packaging.

The recalled toys were manufactured by Epoch Everlasting Play LLC and were sold between January 2000 to December 2021 at major retailers throughout the U.S., including Meijer and Walmart and online at the Calico Critters website and on Amazon.com.

The CPSC recommends consumers take the bottle and pacifier accessories away from children immediately and contact the manufacturer for instructions on how to submit a recall replacement request. Consumers are required to submit a photo of the recalled bottle or pacifier accessory along with contact information and confirmation the accessory has been destroyed.

Consumers can contact Epoch Everlasting Play LLC at 800-631-1272 or by email at productsafety@epocheverlastingplay.com with questions about the recall.