NOAH campaign promotes responsible medicine use
NOAH is encouraging practices to display their poster, and engage with the campaign using #Paws2Protect.
The National Office for Animal Health (NOAH) has begun a campaign to promote the responsible use of veterinary medicines by pet owners.
The ‘Paws to Protect’ campaign provides advice and information for pet owners, urging them to carefully read and understand the information that is on their pet’s medication.
As well as producing a downloadable poster that veterinary practices are being encouraged to display, the trade association has published information on their website to better educate users.
The campaign explains the importance of the correct use of pet medication to owners, detailing the effect that irresponsible use can have on them, their pet and the environment. It also describes how it relates to regulatory controls, and the continued efficacy of the medicine.
The guidance advises users on what information they should look for on the leaflets, packaging or labels of their medication. It explains the meanings and purposes of such details, including the dosage, administration, warnings and target species.
NOAH is asking veterinary practices to join their campaign by downloading and displaying their poster, as well as engaging with the campaign using its hashtag #Paws2Protect.
The campaign has been launched in response to a survey conducted by NOAH which revealed that, although 78 per cent of pet owners were aware of and followed instructions on their pet’s medication, 16-34 year olds were least likely to adhere to the directions. With 16-34 year olds making up approximately two thirds of new pet owners, the organisation felt that more needed to be done to promote the cause.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: “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.”
The resources can be accessed here.
Image © Shutterstock
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. 
