A record number of pets in the UK are ingesting recreational drugs and requiring veterinary care, according to figures shared with the Guardian. The UK’s only emergency poison centre for animals reported its highest ever number of calls last year involving pets poisoned by cannabis, cocaine, magic mushrooms, and nicotine, and is on track to surpass that record this year.
Increase in Poisoning Cases
The centre operates two emergency phone lines: the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) for vets and the Animal PoisonLine (APL) for pet owners. In 2025, there was a 42% increase in calls to toxicology specialist helplines regarding recreational drugs and nicotine, rising from 445 calls in 2024 to 633. This increase outpaced a 26% rise in total calls to the VPIS and APL during the same period.
Dr. Nicola Robinson, head of service at VPIS, noted, "It’s quite remarkable what dogs decide to eat. Cats think before they eat, so there are far fewer cases of cats being poisoned than dogs."
On average, the poison centre receives a call daily about an animal that has ingested recreational drugs, handling 87% more cases than in 2021. The majority of calls involve nicotine products and cannabis, with Robinson highlighting that cannabis is becoming a growing concern. "It’s amazing how many pets get it in a public place – in an alleyway, a public park, or even in quite rural places like the woods."
