This post is a rare exception to topics we typically discuss. The regulatory failure involved was/is significant for pet owners to be aware of to protect their pets.
Recently a lawsuit against Seresto flea collars was settled for $15 million. Pet owners would be eligible for “up to $13” for every collar purchased, and “If your pet died in a manner ‘allegedly related’ to wearing a Seresto product, you’re eligible for $300 plus medical costs plus fees for burial or cremation.”
Around the same time the lawsuit was settled, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General released a damning report stating the EPA failed to abide by legal requirements of pesticide products, putting pets at risk.
The Inspector General Report stated:
“from 2012 through 2022, the EPA received more than 100,000 incident reports related to Seresto pet collars.”
“The EPA’s response to reported pesticide incidents involving Seresto pet collars has not provided assurance that they can be used without posing unreasonable adverse effects to the environment, including pets.”
“…it has not adhered to the pesticide registration review process for the active ingredients flumethrin and imidacloprid in the Seresto pet collars.“
“The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) did not conduct or publish domestic animal risk assessments, which it had committed to doing in the work plans for these two pesticides;“
“…continues to use an inadequate 1998 companion animal safety study (Guideline 870.7200);“
“…lacks standard operating procedures and a measurable standard to help determine when domestic animal pesticide products pose unreasonable adverse effects to the environment, as required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.”
“Additionally, the EPA’s Pesticide Incident Reporting System and reporting process do not capture adequate data that the EPA needs to assess unreasonable adverse effects of pet products.”
“Furthermore, according to a long-tenured EPA scientist we interviewed, the EPA’s 1998 Guideline 870.7200 for companion animal safety studies is inadequate, and the OPP lacks standard operating procedures and a methodology to help determine when pet products may pose unreasonable adverse effects to the environment.”
In other words, the EPA appeared to approve this flea and tick product based on antiquated safety standards that did not protect the pets the product was used on – and basically ignored for years the incident reports the agency received on the collar, again not protecting the pets the product was used on.
The safety of pet products is last on the list of concerns for most regulatory agencies. The FDA gives pet food permission to violate federal law allowing waste ingredients to be disposed of into pet foods (allowing illegal diseased animals and animals that have died other than by slaughter to be used in pet food). State authorities follow FDA’s lead again allowing waste to be disposed of into pet food with no warning or disclosure to consumers. And now we get confirmation the EPA followed the same ‘who cares’ attitude regarding pet flea and tick products.
The Office of Inspector General report gave us this explanation to why the EPA’s handling of the Seresto collar was investigated:
“As a result of the March 2021 media coverage, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is now the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy launched an investigation.“
This tells us that if we (pet owners) want regulatory authorities to be held accountable for their regulation of pet products, we need to have loud and persistent voices. Members of Congress need to hear from us again and again and again, until they listen.
Our thanks to the Office of Inspector General for holding EPA accountable and thank you to the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability for insisting on an investigation.
To read the full Inspector General report, Click Here.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Lorraine
March 7, 2024 at 1:16 pm
I have lost faith in all these Government agencies as far as animal safety is concerned. I do not use any of the flea/tick products on the market, I do not use any dog shampoos or dog creams, dog treats or dog food ect. Everything I give my dogs or buy for my dogs is made for humans. I no longer buy dog toys either, I buy toys made for children knowing that they are highly regulated. I don’t believe Government agencies take family pets too serious and products made for pets are not regulated very well.
Diane
March 8, 2024 at 9:01 am
I agree and do the same. None of the alphabet government agencies can be trusted for anything other than drawing their paychecks. Ensuring pet safety is pretty much non existant. I used to use Soresto collars on the recommendation of my groomer but, haven’t since the whole Soresto disaster was made public and I never will again. There are a number of homeopathic/homemade remedies available which I’ve been using the past few years and will continue Thank you Susan for all you do and for keeping us pet parents informed.
MARSHA HIX
March 7, 2024 at 1:48 pm
Once again I thank you Susan, for all keeping us informed. I used it. Years ago when you posted it the first time. I threw them out. I haven’t looked back.
Alexis
March 7, 2024 at 2:51 pm
I don’t get why people resort to highly advertised “convenient” flea and tick control products that are not only extremely overpriced but often deadly to dogs (and even sicken people wo handle some of those products with bare hands not realizing how horrible the chemicals are). It is so much more cost effective and so much less dangerous to flea comb daily, check for ticks (and if found use a very inexpensive widely available tick removing device) after finishing an outdoor run or hike, use food grade diatomaceous earth for any sign of indoor pests, nematodes in the lawn or yard for pest control instead of more chemicals. I have had as many as three owned dogs while fostering two or three more. It’s not that hard to do.
Simon
March 7, 2024 at 3:06 pm
Amazing… Years ago, when I was looking for collars, and I saw this one, just the fact that it claimed to work for 8 Months (!!!???) was enough for me to not get near it. Hard to imagine a larger red flag.
I came home, looked it up on Google, and saw that my decision to avoid it had merit. Staggering, and tragic….
Lawrence Rush
March 7, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Again thank you very much for informing us about this problem. Fortunately I have never used Seresto flea collars.
Can we trust the FDA concerning any medication that it has approved for flea, tick or heart worm protection?
Sheryll
March 7, 2024 at 10:31 pm
Wow. Thirteen dollars for a seventy-five dollar collar that burned itself into my dogs hair and flesh! Seven dogs. Probably 15 trips to the vet for care. Scarring around all their necks for life. Thankfully none lost their lives, but one has neurological damage to this day. This is not a win.
Pffft.
Amelia Zimmaro
March 10, 2024 at 10:09 am
Why is this still on the market
Kyle
March 9, 2024 at 12:00 pm
I find it absolutely baffling that an average report rate of 10,000 sick/dead animals PER YEAR for a DECADE warranted absolutely no federal response or recalls, but reports of less than 1,500 animals ALLEGEDLY experiencing heart issues with a one-year period fundamentally altered the entire pet food market.
Absolute clown world.
Peter
March 10, 2024 at 12:09 pm
These “alphabet” agencies are in a state of “regulatory capture,” beholden to the industry they are charged with monitoring.