Here I was feeling guilty, because I thought it was my fault! I had a beautiful American Siamese that was barely 3 years old. Rescued from a animal shelter at 18 months. And I really didn’t rescue him, I killed him! I was putting Hartz flea control on him, I cry as I type this because I feel so bad. He was so sweet and beautiful blue eyes, he was faithful at the end of my bed every night, just wanting a little scratch on the head. He started having bladder issue, always to use the bathroom, and he was scratching more, I was using some sevin dust 5% on him as well. I was using at least 3 tubes a month. My husband stated to me later, that his back legs where giving out on him. I can’t believe this well name product did this, and why isn’t there something or someone out there to protect us and the animals about a bad product, that is poisoning our beloved pets! Upon further research this has been going on for more than 10 years! Why would Hartz continue to make such a product and why isn’t a recall being done? Consumers/Animals NEED to be protected against big companies. Isn’t this some form of animal cruelty?
6 Comments Received
August 2nd, 2011 @6:08 pm
I cannot tell you how sorry I am that this has happened to you and your family. It’s even worse knowing that thousands of other families go through exactly the same pain and anxiety you are going through, year after year after year. Please know that you are not guilty. It is Hartz and the other manufacturers of these over-the-counter topical pesticide spot-on’s that have created this reprehensible tragedy and it has been going on for decades. Unfortunately, the federal agency established to protect consumers and American citizens, the Environmental Protection Agency, has been completely complicit–actually an enabler–of the devastation to animals and pet owners. The EPA is one of the most lax bureaucracies in our federal government and in spite of years of studies and factual documentation, including science objectively concluding the appalling impact of these products they rarely take significant action to protect consumers and pets, and when they do it’s insignificant and disgustingly late.
Please consider fighting back by taking action. Please call Hartz (1-800-275-1414) and also call your state Attorney General and the EPA (703-305-7090) and the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). Believe me, Hartz will not be happy to hear from you and will NOT want you calling the EPA or your Attorney General or the NPIC. You should be sure to insist that Hartz reimburse you for your veterinary expenses–do not take no for an answer–and let your state Attorney General know the outcome of that demand. Additionally, please, take one other important step to help yourself and other pets and pet owners. Please take the time to report your incident to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). This organization works with the EPA to compile the database of incidents and statistics that will be analyzed and used as a basis for corrective action. The NPIC can be reached at 1-800-858-7378. They are very professional, courteous and efficient. This is a critical step in the public forcing the EPA–one of the most lax oversight agencies in the federal government–to do the right thing and get these neurotoxin pesticide ingredients out of the marketplace. I have spoken with people at the EPA who, “off the record”, completely agree that these products are extremely dangerous and should not be in the marketplace but feel they cannot do anything about it.
Hartz Mountain has one of the most deplorable safety records in the industry with these pesticide products. Their disgraceful safety record goes back to the late 1980′s with their product “Blockade” which caused immense damage to animals and also injured humans, prior to Hartz having to remove it from the marketplace. Since then they have been fined, forced to make labeling changes and had their cat and kitten product cancelled by the EPA in 2005. In spite of this late and lax action by the EPA, Hartz and other manufacturers continue to develop, distribute, market and sell pesticide neurotoxins that injure and kill pets by the tens of thousands each year. It’s reprehensible that Hartz, BioSpot (Farnam), Sergeant’s, Summit VetPharm (Vectra and Vectra D) and others continue to injure and kill thousands of pets–-it’s absolutely unacceptable. We should all do whatever we can to prevent this from happening to other animals and families. Communications to the proper regulatory agencies, manufacturers, NPIC, the media and politicians are critical steps. The media actually frightens the manufacturers more than any entity I’ve mentioned. Your Attorney General is another person Hartz does not want to hear from. All the best. Again, I’m very sorry this has happened to you–it’s truly heartbreaking. I understand the pain and sense of guilt. I hope you’ll translate that grief into action and do everything you can to ensure these products are taken off the market. There is information on this site regarding joining class action lawsuits which are pending against these companies. I hope you’ll consider this action as well. All the best.
August 3rd, 2011 @10:48 am
Hello-as I set here typing this message I dont know if my dog “Chota” a blueheeler breed is going to live or not due to the flea medicine I applied to him. Under no conditions should any product made by –SERGEANTS–be used on pets–my dog was perfectly healthy until a few hours after application of this useless product–he is in bad shape and after reading all the internet posts I cannot beleive the U.S goverment turns it head to this serious flawed product–apparently all the money that the company donates to politicans and other well connected people this product gets put on the back burner and all the spin talk and high priced lawyers keep it legal–wait until one of their pets die and see how soon this product will be terminated or at least the active ingredient gets changed–I feel for all the pet owners who have to go through this terrible ordeal and no words can describe how bad I feel knowing it is making my pet suffer a great deal and I am the one that was ignorant of the danger of this medicine–God Bless and my prayers are with everyone who suffers this great ordeal–thanks–Ron
August 3rd, 2011 @4:28 pm
Um, you put Sevin dust on your cat which is HUGELY toxic and meant as a pesticide for your GARDEN not your cat. And then you used the Hartz product 3 times a month (outside the recommended dosage). And if he was having bladder issues and troubles walking, he very well could have had a urinary blockage that killed him. I think your stupidity killed your cat, not Hartz (and I don’t even like Hartz)
August 4th, 2011 @10:59 am
Lynn, there is no reason to be cruel and hurtful. The woman is already in pain, why must you add to it? Look up the word compassion and then try applying it to your daily life.
August 4th, 2011 @11:00 am
Oh and Lynn, there is plenty of precedent for using Sevin Dust on cats. She’s not the only one and she won’t be the last. Many MANY places say it works well as a flea killer.
http://www.dailypuppy.com/articles/how-to-use-sevin-dust-on-cats-for-fleas/4c1bf155-898b-1b33-a4fc-979425590a4b
August 5th, 2011 @10:41 am
If you put 3 tubes of this product a month on your cat maby that is why he got sick…..and whatever else you were putting on it I am so sorry about the loss of your beloved baby!!
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