POISON as MEDICINE
WE HAVE TO PUT A STOP TO PUTTING DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY POISONS ON ANIMALS
We received 29 July 2005:
petition to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC can order a halt sale of the products, effective immediately. Since the EPA is wasting time, babying Hartz, and letting the poison stay on the shelves until next year, we decided to try another route.
Response from the US Environmental Protection Agency regarding agreement Hartz phasing out dangerous flea and tick products
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Response to your message regarding Hartz flea and tick products
Dear :
Thank you for contacting the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the recent agreement with Hartz Mountain Corporation to relabel and phase out uses of several flea and tick products that may be associated with adverse reactions in cats and kittens. I want to assure you that EPA shares your concerns about these products and wants to make sure that consumers are alerted to the potential risks associated with use of these products.
As you may know, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is responsible for regulating pesticide products in the United States and ensuring that they can perform their intended functions without posing unreasonable risks to humans, animals, or the environment. EPA has the authority to cancel a pesticide product if it determines there is an unacceptable risk that cannot be reduced by other actions such as voluntary cancellation or changes in the way a pesticide is used. While cancellation of a product is always an option for EPA to remove a product from the marketplace - a process that could take up to five years if contested by the manufacturer - voluntary cancellation is the most expedient. At the same time, EPA believes it is important to seek interim measures so that immediate steps can be taken to alert the public to the actions being taken. Also, the process followed by EPA must be based on sound science.
In November 2002, due to safety concerns stemming from Hartz flea and tick control products for cats and kittens, EPA announced that the Hartz Mountain Corporation had agreed to enact measures to reduce potential risks to pets from using these products. EPA sought this agreement due to concerns over safety issues based on thousands of adverse-effect incidents reported to EPA. Under this agreement, Hartz agreed to implement a product recovery, label improvement, and consumer education program for the affected products. EPA continued to monitor these products through our Incident Reporting System to evaluate the effectiveness of these changes. Since that time, EPA has received thousands of new reports of adverse effects from pet owners around the country, including hair loss, salivation, tremors, and numerous reports of deaths in cats and kittens. Thus, EPA determined that further action was needed.
As you know, at EPA's request, on June 3, 2005, Hartz Mountain Corporation signed an agreement to cancel uses of several flea and tick products. This agreement marks the conclusion of a rigorous, multi-year review of these products. Hartz agreed to voluntarily phase out the products of concern by March 31, 2006, and for the short term, they agreed to provide new labels for products leaving their facilities after June 27, 2005. This action ultimately gets the products off the market faster than the Agency's cancellation process, which can take three to five years if the registrant chooses to contest the action.
EPA took several steps to inform consumers about the phase-out, including a news release to the media, which received broad coverage. In addition, detailed information about the agreement and information about alternatives was posted on EPA's Web site in order to allow consumers to make informed choices about whether or not to continue product use during the phase-out. Additional information about flea and tick control for pets may be found at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick.htm
. Information about the agreement and alternatives may also be found at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm . As with all products, EPA encourages consumers to always read and observe all label directions and precautions, making note that different products vary in their intended uses and effects.
I hope this information addresses your concerns. Thank you again for contacting us.
Sincerely,
Claire M. Gesalman, Chief
Communication Services Branch
Office of Pesticide Programs
Sent by:
Julie A. Chao
Communication Services Branch
Office of Pesticide Programs
Sent: Wednesday, June 08,
Subject: News story...Hartz..please read and help
I don't like this article since it refers to Hartz POISON as MEDICINE. Please contact the EPA and tell them the agreement with hartz is unsatifactory and unacceptable. I'm begging. . . contact below News Article:
click on: NEWS ARTICLE
I don't know if most realize just how serious this is. Hartz is lying again. There are conflicting letters on the EPA's and Hartz website. Hartz lies and does not care about animals at all.
They are also owned by Sumitomo, a huge HLS customer. See both the http://ww.epa.gov and http://ww.hartz.com web sites.
We have to stop them now while the time is ripe. We have to put a stop to putting dangerous and potentially deadly poisons on animals.
- Sign the petition against Hartz!
- please visit Stop Hartz! They are killing animals!
- Learn More about Hartz Poison!
FORWARD! FORWARD! FORWARD! Post EVERYWHERE!
The EPA is not doing it's job. Only 4 cat products will be removed from the shelves, after RE-LABELING, which has been done before. The re-labeling did not prevent any injuries in the past, why would it now? Animals are still dying and being injured. We MUST let the EPA know this is unacceptable. Hartz has an extremely long history of harming animals.
PLEASE edit the following text and email, snail mail OR call immediately! We have to hit this NOW while it is hot on the EPA's desks.
Susan B. Hazen, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA
7101M US EPA Headquarters Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. Washington, DC 20460
202-564-2910
hazen.susan@epa.gov
Eryn W. Witcher 1701A,
US EPA Headquarters Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.
Washington, DC 20460
202-564-9828
witcher.eryn@epa.gov
EPA: Michele Knorr, 2333A,
US EPA Headquarters, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20460,
knorr.michele@epa.gov
202-564-563
"The agreement you have reached with Hartz is unacceptable. I am not satisfied with the EPA's action in this matter. The EPA's role should be advocacy for safe pet products, advocacy for the consumers and NOT advocacy for band-aiding Hartz. Hartz has a long history of harming animals. Further, there should be no delay in removing these products from the shelves. All Hartz flea and tick products should be removed immediately and Hartz must be held accountable for the injuries they have caused."
Name
Address
City, ST. zip
I am BEGGING. . . please take a few minutes and contact the EPA!!!!!
- Sign the petition against Hartz!
- please visit Stop Hartz! They are killing animals!
- Learn More about Hartz Poison!
- Speak UP for Chained dogs!
- Help Hopewell build a fence!
- Help Pets Daily!
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