RUMA CA&E announces National AMU Reduction Targets for companion animals

14 November 2025

The Responsible use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E), has this week announced the first ever national AMU reduction targets for companion animals; targets which have been carefully defined following feedback and input from a wide range of sector stakeholders and which have secured widespread support from representatives of the profession and AMR experts.

The targets have been developed by one of the Alliance’s sub-groups – The RUMA CA&E Targets and Measures Working Group* (T&MWG). This sub-group comprises companion animal experts representing all parts of the companion animal sector, who have come together to formulate a set of realistic and achievable AMU reduction targets. The group has looked at AMS strategies, trends, usage breakdown, and guidelines currently in use at a national, group, and practice level, plus individual and disease-based considerations for the measurement of antimicrobial use.

National picture targets

Ambition:

Overall reduction in AMU by 30% (DDDVet dog/cat antimicrobial use)
Reduce the use of HP-CIAs in cats by 50%

These reductions will apply to the 2024 AMU results and specific measures will be communicated after the VARSS report publication.

To help achieve these national targets a number of condition specific ‘In Practice Focus Areas’ have also been defined:

To support the delivery of the national reduction targets there will be a focus on reducing the use of antimicrobials in conditions where frequent use and evidence is starting to emerge to suggest it is not likely to be effective. In 2026 the condition specific activity will focus on:

Antimicrobial use in cat fight wounds – contributing to reductions in overall usage and the targeted reduction in HPCIA usage in cats.
Antimicrobials use in acute, self-limiting diarrhoea in dogs – contributing to reductions in overall usage and ensuring use of appropriate antibiotics when they are necessary.

Resources to help support companion animal practices to reduce the use of antimicrobials in these conditions are currently being developed by RUMA CA&E and will be launched in 2026.

Time horizon

5 years to achieve these targets.

In order to promote ongoing focus and continuous improvement, RUMA CA&E has also identified AMU areas of focus for years beyond 2026 and will be sharing further details during 2026.

The targets were launched at a webinar on 11 November. During the webinar an audience poll asked: ‘Do you think the National AMU reduction targets for companion animals are achievable?’ and 89% of those who answered said ‘YES’.

RUMA CA&E Secretary General, Steve Howard, says: “The targets have been developed after much consideration and discussion by the RUMA CA&E Targets and Measures Working Group. The group has taken into account recent trends in sales data and evidence that has emerged in recent years which suggests that the use of antimicrobials for the treatment of certain conditions in companion animals, is not always necessary or effective. The targets have been defined by looking at current baselines of sales data and by considering the opportunities to reduce use in specific conditions.”

Chair of the RUMA CA&E Targets and Measures Working Group, Kit Sturgess, says: “Setting appropriate targets is always challenging and the RUMA CA&E Targets & Measures Working Group is acutely aware that targets can have unintended consequences – something that will continue to be taken into account as these targets are developed and reported against moving forwards. The impact of achieving our ambitions would see responsible reductions in antimicrobial use, reduced resistance levels over time, protection of the efficacy of these important medicines for longer and maintaining the use of non-critically important antibiotics. These Targets are not about stopping antimicrobial use, but instead sharply focusing any use on patients that will benefit from being given antimicrobials.”

Julian Hoad, BSAVA President, says: “Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to both veterinary and human medicine. BSAVA strongly supports RUMA CA&E’s evidence-based approach to reducing antimicrobial use and ensuring appropriate prescribing in the companion animal sector. We welcome these new national AMU reduction targets that will guide our profession toward more sustainable and effective antimicrobial stewardship.”

RUMA CA&E will provide annual updates on the National AMU Targets for companion animals in its annual progress report. With regard to resistance reporting, this is an ongoing project led by the VMD; RUMA CA&E recognises there could be projects to look to evidence this in the future and will continue dialogue with the VMD.

Ten years of CA&E sales data show that the collective efforts of the sector have resulted in significant AMU reductions, but this could plateau if there isn’t sustained focus through ongoing and targeted activity to help secure ongoing reductions. Steve says: “We have always acknowledged that there has been great work going on in the CA&E sector for a number of years, led by a variety of associations, organisations and stakeholders. One of the drivers for the formation of RUMA CA&E was the desire and need to be able to demonstrate the progress the sectors have made. We are not aiming to duplicate or take credit away from those stakeholders that have already put a lot of time and effort into this area – we want to help keep that momentum going. We are in a position as a sector Alliance to inform and influence future progress through continued collaborative working with all key stakeholders, and by introducing some clear national reduction targets which helps focus hearts and minds on this important issue.”