As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) work to address concerns raised about pet collars, the agency is asking for public comment on a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity requesting that the agency cancel the registration of insecticide product PNR1427, more commonly known by its brand name Seresto (EPA Registration No. 11556-155), and to suspend the registration pending cancellation. Seresto is a brand name for dog and cat collars designed to kill fleas, ticks, and lice and contains the active ingredients flumethrin and imidacloprid.

EPA understands and shares the public’s concerns about reported incidents with Seresto pet collars. The agency is working to gather information about these incidents and will use this information to determine whether these pet collars still meet the legally required safety standard for registration under FIFRA.

To that end, in April 2021, EPA wrote to Elanco and Bayer, the current and previous holders of the registration at issue, requesting additional information on incidents to better characterize the nature and scale of the incident reports. The information EPA requested was more extensive than standard reporting practices yield.

EPA has received the requested data and will use this information, along with any relevant information received during the public comment on this petition, to determine if any additional action is needed.

The agency encourages pet owners to discuss with their veterinarian when flea and tick control is needed for their pets and which type of control product they should use. Pet owners should read the entire label before using the recommended product and follow all directions carefully, as well as monitor the pet after treatment.

Consumers whose pet experiences adverse reactions from treatment with a flea and tick product should consult their veterinarian immediately. They should also contact the National Pesticide Information Center, an EPA information-sharing partner that has staff who are specially trained in responding to pesticide exposure incidents, including those involving pets. For flea and tick collars specifically, pet owners should remove the collar immediately if the pet experiences any adverse reaction. In addition, consumers whose pets experienced an adverse reaction from pet collars or topical treatments should also report the incident on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/pets.

The public comment period on the petition is now open for 60 days. The petition will soon be available in docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0409 at www.regulations.gov. After carefully considering public input and the requests of the petition, EPA will respond to the petition.

More information on protecting pets from fleas and ticks can be found on EPA’s website.

*Original press releass online at https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-seeking-public-comment-petition-related-seresto-pet-collars