"Levels of some of these chemicals were higher than in humans. So EWG has created a new organization called Pets For The Environment to "create a healthy environment for pets and people by demanding toxic chemical reform legislation in the U.S."
According to Jane Houlihan, VP for Research at EWG, "The presence of chemicals in dogs and cats sounds a cautionary warning for the present and future health of children as well. This study demonstrating the chemical body burden of dogs and cats is a wake-up call for stronger safety standards from industrial chemical exposures that will protect all members of our families, including our pets." In other words, our pets are like the canaries in the coal mines. For more information, read the April 17 Enviroblog story.
So where do these chemicals come from? Outdoor pets can be exposed to pesticides on a daily basis. But so can indoor animals when we track those pesticides into our homes on our shoes. Fortunately, Michael and I maintain a shoe-free home. Our shoes make it only as far as the shelf inside the back door. So how else might our indoor kitties be in danger?
We don't cook in Teflon anymore, one of the sources of Perfluorochemicals that poison our pets. But did we opt for the stain-proof treatment when we had our carpet cleaned a few years ago? I can't remember, but that would be another source of PFCs.
We avoided buying them scratching posts or kitty climbing trees covered in synthetic carpet, but what about the floor carpet that they roll around on on a daily basis? I have no idea what this carpet is made from. We are renters and can't just pull it up and replace it. Is it dangerous for them? I don't know.
Flame retardants in furniture are another source of toxins for pets. What is our blue chair covered in? Our futon cover? The cushions on the foot rests? The foamy cat bed that was given to us by our friends who delivered the cats in the first place? How can we know?
Beth Terry writes about finding alternatives to plastic and tracks her own plastic consumption and plastic waste at www.FakePlasticFish.com. Why Fake Plastic Fish? "Because if we don't solve our plastic problem, they could be the only kind of fish we have left." Please stop by and leave a comment!
