Pet Owner Files Class Action Lawsuit Over Seresto Flea Collars, After Dog Died

Following thousands of reports involving pets poisoned by Seresto flea and tick collars, a class action lawsuit has been filed by a New York woman whose dog died due to toxic and unsafe pesticides released by the product.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Jennifer Walsh in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York on April 6, indicating her dog became extremely ill and died shortly after she began wearing a Seresto collar. However, she indicates other pet owners nationwide have experienced similar problems, and seeks class action status to pursue damages on behalf of all individuals who purchased the flea and tick collars in recent years.

Seresto pet collars are designed to release small amounts of pesticide onto the skin of cats and dogs for months at a time; to kill fleas, ticks and other pests. However, a report published last month raised serious concerns about problems associated with the products, disclosing for the first time that more than 75,000 adverse health reactions have been reported to federal regulators among humans and pets after coming into contact with Seresto flea and tick collars, including nearly 1,700 pet deaths.

According to the lawsuit, Walsh purchased a Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs over 18 pounds on May 30, 2019, paying $57.99 for the product at Chewy.com. About a week later, she placed the Seresto collar on her two year old dog, Ollie, who became extremely sick, lost its appetite, vomited, fell down the stairs, was circling and developed a head tilt.

Walsh took the dog to the veterinarian’s office several times beginning on June 14, 2019, and was referred to a veterinary neurologist, who stated no potential source of illness was recognized beyond the Seresto collar. After being prescribed several medications which did not improve the condition, Ollie died just weeks later on July 15, 2019, after being admitted to the veterinary hospital.

Seresto Pet Collar Poisoning Risk Not Disclosed On Packaging

Elanco Animal Health, Inc. is named as the only defendant in the class action lawsuit, which alleges the manufacturer deceptively misrepresented and omitted dangers associated with the pesticides used on the Seresto collars, and never placed a warning about the risks for pets and humans.

In March 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy opened a probe into Elanco’s sales and marketing practices, after documents were disclosed by the FDA about problems experienced by consumers nationwide.

In a letter (PDF) sent to Elanco, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chairman of the Subcommittee, requested additional documents and information from the manufacturer, suggested that the 75,000 reported incidents likely represent only a small portion of the actual injuries and deaths linked to the products.

While Elanco has refused to recall the Seresto Pet Collars, the manufacturer has indicated the incident report rate is approximately 0.3%, according to the lawsuit filed by Walsh.

“[E]ven taking Defendant’s claim at face value, that means that a pet wearing a Seresto Flea and Tick collar still stands at least a 1 in 333 chance of suffering an ‘adverse event’, such as becoming sick or dying,” according to the lawsuit. “This information is not disclosed on the Product’s packaging.”

The case is one of a growing number of Seresto flea and tick collar lawsuits filed in recent weeks, each involving similar allegations that pets were seriously injured or died due to after experiencing health problems linked to pesticide exposure.