The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has announced significant changes to the regulation of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), marking an important step forward for animal welfare, environmental protection and public safety.
Following a multi‑year reconsideration, the APVMA has certified that it is in the public interest for all SGAR-containing products to be declared restricted chemical products. This decision will effectively end the general retail sale of SGARs to the public, limiting access to accredited and trained users only. In addition, the APVMA has announced a temporary suspension on the registration of new SGAR products while implementation arrangements are finalised.
These changes reflect growing national and international concern about the serious risks posed by SGARs. Due to their high potency, persistence in the body and delayed mode of action, SGARs are a well‑documented cause of secondary poisoning in wildlife. Veterinarians continue to see firsthand the devastating impacts of these poisons on companion animals.
The AVA actively contributed to the APVMA consultation process, providing a submission informed by veterinary clinical experience, wildlife science and international regulatory approaches. The AVA strongly recommended that Australia’s controls on SGARs be significantly strengthened and brought into alignment with other jurisdictions where access is already tightly restricted.
The AVA welcomes the APVMA’s decision which represents meaningful progress toward reducing avoidable harm to native wildlife, companion animals and communities, while still supporting effective rodent management.