Seresto Pet Collar Settlement Reached for Lawsuits Over Toxic Pesticides That Sickened Dogs, Cats

The makers of Seresto flea and tick collars have reached a $15 million settlement agreement to resolve class action lawsuits brought on behalf of pet owners, many whom alleged that their dogs and cats suffered severe injuries, or died, due to toxic pesticides released by the product.

The litigation was filed against Elanco Animal Health, Inc. and Bayer Healthcare, LLC after a report released by USA Today in March 2021, which linked Seresto pet collars to 75,000 adverse health reactions among both humans and pets. The report indicated the collars could be responsible for nearly 2,000 pet deaths since they were first put on the market in 2012.

The cat and dog collars are designed to kill fleas, ticks and other pests by releasing small amounts of pesticides onto the skin for up to eight months at a time. However, thousands of consumers claim their pets became severely ill, sustained serious skin rashes, developed tumors or heart problems, suffered from seizures and other severe neurological issues, or died after being exposed to toxic pesticides released from the collars.

Millions of Seresto collars have been sold nationwide over the past decade.

As the number of injuries and pet deaths continued to rise in late 2021, consumers began filing individual and class action Seresto lawsuits against the manufacturers, each raising similar allegations that they purchased products labeled with false or misleading information that failed to warn pet owners of the serious health risks they and their pets faced from exposure to toxic pesticides.

With common questions of fact and law raised in the lawsuits over Seresto pet collar injuries and deaths, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) issued a transfer order in August 11, 2021,  consolidating the claims in the Northern District of Illinois under U.S. District Judge John R. Blakey for coordinated pretrial proceedings.

Seresto Collar Lawsuit Settlement Agreement

The parties first announced a tentative Seresto settlement agreement (PDF) on December 21, 2023, and preliminary approval was granted by the Court last week on January 25.

As part of the agreement, defendants will pay a total of $15 million dollars into a Seresto settlement fund.  Plaintiff’s will be eligible to receive $13.00 for each Seresto collar they purchased per pet, if they provide valid proof of purchase. Those without proof of purchase are eligible for credit for only two such collars, or up to $26.00 per pet.

In addition, individuals whose pets suffered non-fatal injuries are eligible to receive $25.00 per pet, or 100% of their out-of-pocket, non-reimbursed costs for documented medical treatments their pets received. Plaintiffs whose pets suffered fatal injuries are eligible to receive $300.00 for each pet that died, 100% of their out-of-pocket, non-reimbursed costs for documented medical treatment, and 100% of their out-of-pocket, non-reimbursed costs for burial, cremation or other documented pet disposal method.

Plaintiffs have until July 22, to file a claim to participate in the Seresto pet collar settlement, or to opt-out of the class action agreement, which will allow them to pursue their claim individually.

A final approval hearing will be held on December 4, 2024 at the United States Courthouse for the Northern District of Illinois.