Chemical Flea Collars Threaten Pets and Kids, as Well as Pests

Chemical Flea Collars Threaten Pets and Kids, as Well as Pests
A new report finds hazardous chemicals are still being used in flea and tick collars.
By Emily Main

http://www.rodale.com/chemicals-flea-and-tick-collars?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_04_29-_-Top5-_-NA

Wash your pet and its bedding to clean away pesticide residues, and switch to treatments that won’t threaten you or your animal.

Chemicals from flea collars can end up on on your pets, and on the kids that love them.

04-29-09 RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—When most pet owners adorn their dogs or cats with flea collars, they assume the chemicals have been tested for safety. But that’s not always the case. According to a report just released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), many name-brand collars on store shelves contain chemicals that can harm pets and their owners, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) isn’t doing anything to stop them.

The report honed in on two particular chemicals, tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) and propoxur, used on national brands of flea collars, including Hartz and Zodiac. TCVP belongs to the class of nerve-damaging chemicals known as organophosphates, most of which are so hazardous that they’ve been banned for residential use or for use on pets.

To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/chemicals-flea-and-tick-collars?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_04_29-_-Top5-_-NA