Lawsuit against Seresto flea collars settled for $15 million. Here's how to tell if you're eligible

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·3 min read
1

If you've ever purchased a Seresto flea and tick collar, you're eligible for up to $13 for every one purchased under a settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed against the company.

If your pet died in a manner "allegedly related" to wearing a Seresto product, you're eligible for $300 plus medical costs plus fees for burial or cremation.

In 2021 two pet owners filed a class action lawsuit against Elanco Animal Health, the manufacturer of the popular Seresto products, and 27 more people joined, claiming their dogs either died or developed problems after using Seresto flea and tick collars. The suit alleges that Elanco “misrepresented the Product through affirmative statements, half-truths, and omissions regarding the safety of the Product.”

Reporting from Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY found that Seresto is the most complained about product in the history of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with over 101,000 incident reports including nearly 2,700 pet deaths and 894 incidents involving humans, as of Oct. 3, 2022.

Here's what you need to know.

Do Seresto flea and tick collars kill dogs?

Aitana Vargas of Los Angeles claims in a federal lawsuit that her 10-year-old Siberian Husky named Lolita developed a cancerous lump on the neck after wearing a Seresto flea and tick collar.
Aitana Vargas of Los Angeles claims in a federal lawsuit that her 10-year-old Siberian Husky named Lolita developed a cancerous lump on the neck after wearing a Seresto flea and tick collar.

According to the EPA's investigation of 1,400 deaths reported between 2016-2020 (2% of incidents reported in that time), the only deaths that were "probably" or "definitely" related to Seresto products were associated with mechanical strangulation or trauma caused by the collar, often due to a failure of the release mechanism. The EPA reported that the rate of deaths reported for Seresto was similar to that for other pet products reviewed.

In non-lethal incident reports, such as neurological symptoms, moderate or severe symptoms seemed to stop when the collar was removed and start up again when the collar was replaced.

Faye Hemsley of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, claims in a federal lawsuit that her 13-year-old terrier mix named Tigger Shadow died in February 2020 after wearing a Seresto flea and tick collar.
Faye Hemsley of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, claims in a federal lawsuit that her 13-year-old terrier mix named Tigger Shadow died in February 2020 after wearing a Seresto flea and tick collar.

The EPA ruled that the collars could stay on the market as they met the agency's standard under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), but required Elanco to conduct enhanced reporting for adverse events, do additional outreach to the veterinary community and put new warnings on the product’s label, among other changes.

The company has not admitted wrongdoing, saying that years of evidence and the use of more than 110 million collars around the world proved the product to be safe if stated warnings were heeded, but has agreed to a $15 million settlement. The amount still needs to be approved in court.

How much can I get from the Seresto collar settlement?

Ivan, a 5-year-old English mastiff, died in May 2019, one day after a Seresto collar was placed on him. His owner, Barbara Merckle, is a dog breeder in Moxahala, Ohio. She had a necropsy performed on Ivan by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which found that he had been in otherwise good health.
Ivan, a 5-year-old English mastiff, died in May 2019, one day after a Seresto collar was placed on him. His owner, Barbara Merckle, is a dog breeder in Moxahala, Ohio. She had a necropsy performed on Ivan by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which found that he had been in otherwise good health.

If the court approves the settlement and you are in the United States or its territories:

  • Collar reimbursement: You may receive $13 for every collar purchased.

    • If you have receipts, there is no limit to how many you can claim

    • If you do not have receipts, you're limited to a maximum cash award of $26 per pet

  • Injury reimbursement: You may choose from a $25 payment for economic injury or 100% reimbursement for any out-of-pocket, non-reimbursed costs paid for medical treatment, with documentation

  • Pet death reimbursement: You can receive both:

    • $300 for the death of a pet allegedly related to Seresto

    • 100% reimbursement for medical treatment and/or costs relating to burial, cremation or other disposal, with documentation

By filing a claim, you are relinquishing the right to sue or be part of any other lawsuit against Elanco.

How do I submit a claim?

You can submit it online or by downloading the claim form and mailing it in.

Completed claim forms must be entered or postmarked by July 23, 2024.

When do I get my payment from the Seresto collar settlement?

The hearing to approve the $15 million settlement is on Dec. 4, 2024. If it is approved, there may be appeals. Settlement payments will be distributed after the court grants final approval and after any appeals are resolved.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Seresto collars settlement for $15 million in pet deaths. How to claim