NOAH has launched its ‘Paws to Protect’ campaign to improve pet owner awareness of the importance of reading and following the packaging information provided with veterinary medicines.

The downloadable ‘Paws to Protect’ poster gives simple advice and links back via a QR code to more details which explain why the information is important to protect them, their pet and the environment, and gives tips on what to look out for.

Vets and retailers can use the campaign’s pet-owner facing resources to support their existing information and advice.

Dawn Howard, NOAH Chief Executive said: “We want to ensure all veterinary medicines are used correctly and responsibly in accordance with their marketing authorisation to protect human, animal and environmental health.

“Around two thirds of new pet owners are aged 16-34. Whilst, encouragingly, our recent NOAH survey shows 78% pet owners overall were aware of and followed the instructions provided with their pet’s medicine, our survey identified this age group as the least likely to be aware of, or only sometimes adhere to the product information and instructions provided.

“This highlights a gap in understanding about the need to always use veterinary medicines appropriately. It risks the medicine not working properly, resulting in implications to animal health and welfare and could even mean specific advice and instructions are ignored that could harm the animal, the person giving the medicine or the environment.

“To reach this group, we are reaching out on our social media using #Paws2Protect, and we need help from those that prescribe and sell veterinary medicines to help us spread the word. We hope our new resources will provide them with additional support to ensure this important message is understood,” Dawn said.

Vets, SQPs and other pet medicine retailers are encouraged to:

• Download and display the poster
• Engage with the campaign using #Paws2Protect
• Using their social media channels, again using #Paws2Protect to link to the campaign

For more information visit https://www.noah.co.uk/campaigns/paws-to-protect/