December 16, 2002
Dear _____________,
On behalf of Beyond Pesticides, our members and thousands of pesticide
poisoning victims, we are writing to ask that you consider removing Hartz
Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus for Cats and Kittens (EPA
Reg. No. 2596-148), and Hartz Advanced Care Brand Once-a-Month Flea and
Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens (EPA Reg. No. 2596-151) from the shelves
of all _______________ stores immediately. Thousands of cats have become
ill and even died through exposure to these products. Many of the injuries
are believed to be due to over-application and animals licking the pesticide
off fur and skin. Citing the danger these mislabeled products pose to
pets, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) halted all shipments as
of November 29, 2002 and signed an agreement with Hartz to replace both
products with new goods that more explicitly warn consumers of the dangers
of using these products. However, under the EPA's agreement with the Hartz,
these products may legally be sold until the new labels are available,
continuing to expose customers and their pets to the dangers posed by
these products. Please pull all existing stock of these products off the
shelves before more pets are poisoned.
The active ingredients in Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops
Plus for Cats and Kittens (EPA Reg. No. 2596-148), and Hartz Advanced
Care Brand Once-a-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens (EPA
Reg. No. 2596-151) are phenothrin, methoprene and phenothrin, respectively.
Phenothrin, a synthetic pyrethroid has been found to induce nuerotoxicity
when ingested as through licking the pesticide application. Symptoms of
acute toxicity include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, headache, nausea, lack
of coordination, tremors, convulsions, facial swelling, and hyper-excitability.
These symptoms have been seen in cats as obsessive fur licking leading
to baldness and sever dermatitis. The other active ingredient methoprene
is an insect growth regulator. It has a low toxicity rating but is slightly
toxic through dermal absorption.
EPA has received thousands of incident reports detailing the serious effects
of these products and thus recognized the importance of halting further
exposure to pets and their owners. Please take the proactive approach
to this serious problem and fully remove all existing stocks of these
Hartz products. As a major American retailer, do not compromise the trust
and loyalty of your patrons by putting their pets at risk.
Sincerely,
Jessica Lunsford
Program Coordinator