A report from a House of Lords committee is calling for a ban on “off the shelf and unchecked online sales” of pet parasiticides to treat flea and ticks.
The call comes amid growing concerns about the impact of such treatments on the environment.
Baroness Sheehan, chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee which published the report, 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.
“The lack of scientific evidence and data, poor customer guidance and the relationship between the pet medication suppliers and regulators appear as murky as the waterways these flea treatments are polluting.
“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.”
The report, “Paws for Concern: Pets, Parasites and Pollution” says routine year-round preventative flea and tick treatments for pets lack strong scientific backing and significantly pollute ecosystems with chemicals.
More than nine in ten (93%) of respondents to a British Veterinary Association survey last year were concerned about the environmental impact of small animal parasiticides, while 80% agreed “there should be a lot more restrictions on the sale of small animal parasiticides”.
The British Veterinary Association has created a range of resources, including a leaflet, posters and a slideshow, which can be downloaded and displayed in practice waiting rooms.