Government responds to Pet Parasite Medications report
The Lords Committee called for bathing and swimming restriction to be extended to 28 days.
The UK Government has agreed with many of the recommendations made by the Lords Committee to better mitigate the environmental risks of Pet Parasite Medications (PPMs).
However, ministers stopped short of supporting an extension to bathing advice for pets treated with spot-on parasite medication.
In its report, Paws for concern: pets, parasites and pollution, the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee set out eight recommendations to prevent environmental harm. The report was published on 5 August 2026.
The recommendations suggested an ‘interim precautionary risk-based approach’ to reduce routine use. It also called on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to not only investigate fipronil and imidacloprid, but also consider categories for all PPMs.
In its response to the report, published on 5 October 2026, the government fully agreed with five of the eight recommendations. It partially agreed with calls to fund research into evidence gaps regarding environmental risks, and is pending a response on restricting access to pet parasite medications.
However, it has disagreed with a recommendation to strengthen product labelling and bathing advice to reduce environmental exposure.
The government said that it agreed that pet owners should receive clear and accessible information on reducing environmental exposure from PPMs. It also recognised that bathing and swimming contributed to the release of ectoparasiticides into the environment.
Despite this, the government said it was not ‘appropriate or proportionate’ to extend the current bathing and swimming restriction from four days to 28 days.
It said that this ‘significant extension’ could have wider implications on animal welfare and the use of PPMs, and said that ‘robust evidence’ would need to demonstrate the environmental benefits and understanding of the potential impacts.
Baroness Sheehan, chair of the Lords Committee, said: “We welcome the Government’s response to our report and for accepting the vast majority of our recommendations.
“However, it is disappointing that they have rejected our calls to extend the period where pets should not be allowed to bathe from four days to 28 days after spot on treatments are applied and ensure that the restrictions on bathing are clearly and visually present on relevant product packaging.
“Pet owners deserve accurate evidence-based guidance on the need for, and risks of, the existing and new chemicals which are being sold and the impact they are having on their pets, home and the environment.
“We look forward to raising this issue with the Minister when we debate the report in the near future.”
Image © T.Vyc/Shutterstock.com
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
