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Toxic Chemicals in Pets – Pets for the Environment!

April 30, 2008 in Uncategorized, activism, advocacy, environment, health risks, pet health, pets, toxins | No comments

The Environmental Working Group has recently conducted the most expansive study of its kind published to date on the extent of exposures to contaminants pets face in the home and outdoor environments. This biomonitoring investigation measured the chemical body burden in pets.

The results were alarming: Of the 70 industrial chemicals tested, dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of the 70. 43 of those chemicals occurred at levels higher than those typically found in people.

The study looked for toxic chemicals such as plastics and food packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals. Among other results, it found that:

(1) Teflon chemicals (PFCs – perfluorochemicals) occurred in dogs at a level 2.4 times that found in people;

(2) Fire retardants (PBDE – polybrominated diphenyl ethers) occurred in cats at levels 23.4 times that found in people;

(3) Mercury occurred in cats at levels 5.9 times that found in people.

For cats there were 46 toxins detected – 96% at higher levels than in people. Dogs had 35 toxins detected – 40% at levels higher than that for people. “For certain fire retardant chemicals, stain and grease resistant chemicals, and plastic chemicals called phthalates, dogs and cats had higher rates than 80-100% of all the humans that have been tested.” These are of particular concern because they are of a class of chemicals that are carcinogenic and have been linked to reproductive and developmental risks, and thyroid problems. Cancer kills 20-25% of dogs making it the second leading cause of death in dogs^[1], with certain types of cancer occurring several times more frequently in dogs than in people^[2]. Hyperthyroidism is a leading cause of illness in older cats.

Pets, much like children, ingest pollutants from tap water, lawns with pesticide residue, and indoor air contaminants. Higher exposure to some contaminants in pets and children may be partially attributed to the fact that they both spend more time closer to the floor where contaminants can exist at higher concentrations. However, pets also develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly due to their physiologically compressed lifespans.

Pets also have some unique sources of exposure. As an example, one source of the PFCs mentioned earlier is the greaseproof lining of dry pet-food bags. Unfortunately, products made specifically for pets are mostly unregulated: the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine lets products go to market with untested ingredients and additives even though they have the authority to require manufacturers to submit their ingredient list beforehand, while the Consumer Product Safety Association isn’t even *allowed* to label products which may pose risks.

As such, the EWG notes that pets are unwittingly acting “as involuntary sentinels of the widespread chemical contamination that scientists increasingly link to a growing array of health problems”.

If you would like to find out more about the study specifics, including further results, you may follow the link below:
http://www.ewg.org/reports/pets

In response to this alarming problem and the lack of requirements that chemicals introduced into pets’ food & toys – as well as our household products – be tested for safety, the Environmental Working Group has started a site called “Pets for the Environment”. It is hosted by a very cute furry crusader named Eddie and posts healthy pet tips, information, and provides a voice for action on behalf of our beloved companions.

We encourage you to check them out at PetsForTheEnvironment.org. There is a “wall of cute” and you can sign up for their pet newsletter, if you so choose.

[1] – Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Center (2008),
[2] – Purdue University Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (2000);
other reference:
“Pet dogs as sentinels for environmental contamination” –
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00740-9

Looking for a source for natural pet food, toys, & supplies?
Check out Only Natural Pet Store or Paws Choice:

Galápagos Islands Suffering Environmental Crisis – Ecuadorian president calls for habitat to be added to UNESCO’s Endangered List

June 24, 2007 in Galápagos, Uncategorized, United Nations, advocacy, alternative energy, biodiversity, conservation, endangered habitats, endangered species, environment, environmentalism, green, nature, politics, sustainable development | No comments

The president of Ecuador, Rafeal Correa, declared yesterday (June 22, 2007) that the Galápagos are at high risk and should be considered a national conservation priority. He claims that the islands are suffering an environmental crisis and is seeking restrictions on tourism. He has also asked that the habitat be added to UNESCO’s Endangered List – a request which will be considered at a week-long meeting of the UN agency’s World Heritage Committee being held in New Zealand beginning this Saturday.

The Galápagos lie in the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles west of Ecuador at the confluence of several ocean currents and are comprised of some 19 islands. The isolation of these striking volcanic isles has produced one of the highest concentrations of endemic species in the world, and the archipelago is considered “a natural museum of geological, ecological and evolutionary processes”. The seismic and volcanic activities that formed the islands are still going on today.

The habitat’s unusual animals, including the land iguana and giant tortoises, helped to inspire Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (He visited the islands in 1835 on the HMS Beagle.) 30% of the marine life in the surrounding seas are endemic, as are roughly 1/3 of the island’s vascular land plants, all of the reptiles with the exception of two species of marine turtle, and almost half of its bird species. Among its unique species is the marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus – the only sea-going iguana in the world.

As a place of “outstanding universal value”, the Galápagos Islands were added to UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of Protected Areas and World Heritage Sites in 1978 and designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1984.

This extraordinary archipelago of unrivaled beauty is an “almost pristine” treasure trove of biodiversity, but is being threatened today by large-scale tourism and unsustainable fishing practices by mainland fishermen whose activities are financed by foreign companies. Visitation by tourists has increased three-fold in the past 15 years with an annual growth rate of about 14% for the tourism economy. The consequences of this growth include threats to endemic species by introduction of non-native invasive species, pollution, over-harvesting, and greater pressure on valuable marine resources. Partially as a result of these changes, 24% of the endemic plant species and 50% of the vertebrate species are considered endangered.

Click here for an image of the Galápagos Penguins on Bartolomé Island.

The islands are subject to the 1998 Special Law for Galápagos but have been neglected by previous management, and the rapid economic growth of the islands, coupled with increased immigration, has taxed the capacity of the Galápagos’ management authorities. The president’s solutions will focus on the proper implementation of this special law and will include strengthening Galápagos management authorities, ensuring the development of sustainable businesses, strengthening the work of the Galápagos National Park Service and CDF (Charles Darwin Foundation) to manage endangered species and control invasives, and educational reform.

The declaration of the Ecuadorian president addresses concerns that have been held for many years regarding the future of this fragile ecosystem.

For more detailed information on the Galápagos, visit UNEP’s (United Nations Environment Programme) World Conservation Monitoring Centre page at http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/galapago.html
or the Charles Darwin Foundation at http://www.darwinfoundation.org