As part of our Waters of Exmoor campaign, we are calling on the government to regulate the use of pesticides commonly found in flea and tick treatments. These chemicals are contaminating our rivers, harming invertebrates, and a recent study has found them in the nests of songbirds. A single dose on a large dog of the chemical imidacloprid – used in many ‘spot-on’ tick and flea treatments – is enough to kill millions of insects.
These pesticides are not filtered out by wastewater treatment and Environment Agency data shows that they are present in many of England’s rivers in concentrations that exceed safety limits, posing a high risk to aquatic ecosystems.
We are urging the Government to take action to control the use of these chemicals and have written to Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DEFRA, to express our concerns. We are asking for all pesticides that are already banned from use in agriculture because of their dangers, to also be banned from veterinary medicines. An interim measure would be changing regulations so that these treatments are only available via vet prescription along with strict guidelines as to their use – such as don’t wash your dog or let it in the river when they have just been treated!
You can view our letter to Baroness Hayman here.
To learn more about our Waters of Exmoor campaign, join us for our Spring Conference on Friday 9th May at Winsford Village Hall. Keep an eye on our events page to book your tickets which will be on sale very soon.
