GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's been almost a week since a U.S. House subcommittee hearing about Seresto, a popular flea and tick collar. Lawmakers asked the EPA and the company to issue a recall of the product, but so far, nothing has changed.
Seresto collars contain two different pesticides, Imidacloprid and Flumethrin, designed to ward off fleas and ticks. Pet owners told lawmakers the collars have led to skin irritation, seizures, and death.
“This particular collar is linked to 100,000 incidents reported to the EPA and more than 2,500 pet deaths reported to the EPA,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D) Illinois.
The House subcommittee looked at the reports and asked the EPA to revamp its review process for products with pesticides and asked Elanco, the company that makes the collar, to issue a voluntary recall.
“The data from our team that reviewed the data over 10 years, 33 million dogs who have worn the collar, there is no linkage from the active ingredients to a pet death,” said Jeffrey Simmons, Elanco CEO.
The EPA has not found cause to recall the Seresto collars
but the agency advises consumers who experience problems with any EPA-registered pet collar to notify their veterinarian and to contact the national pesticide information center.
According to CBS News, almost 34 million of the collars have been sold to American pet owners, who have been attracted by the product's pledge to ward off ticks and fleas for up to eight months, compared with other treatments that must be applied monthly. It costs about $70.
The pet care industry is estimated to generate more than $232 billion.