Progress for our campaign to regulate pet parasiticides

Last month, The Exmoor Society was the only national park society to submit evidence to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee's inquiry into pet parasite treatments. We were therefore delighted to see that the inquiry's final report urges the government to ban the general sale of these treatments and restrict availability to vets, pharmacist's and qualified professionals.

Last month, The Exmoor Society was the only national park society to submit evidence to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee’s inquiry into pet parasite treatments. We have been asking for controls on the sale of these treatments containing Fipronil and Imidacloprid, currently readily available to buy online and in supermarkets, despite the overwhelming evidence of how destructive they are.

We were delighted to see that the inquiry’s final report urges the government to ban the general sale of these treatments and restrict availability to vets, pharmacist’s and qualified professionals.

Baroness Sheehan, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, said: “Our report raises serious questions and concerns about the environmental risks of pet flea and tick treatments as well as how they are sold to pet owners. Their over-use on household pets is the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Pet owners deserve accurate evidence-based guidance on the need for, and risks of, the existing and new chemicals which are being prescribed and the impact they are having on their pets, home and the environment.”

There is more to be done and we will need to keep pushing Defra to act on these recommendations but it is a great to see that our campaign is gaining so much traction. Read more about the inquiry and subsequent report via the link below.

Environment and Climate Change Committee calls for checks on pet parasite medication