SURE BETS TO SAFEGUARD PETS IN YOUR HOME
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Protect your loved ones – those who run, fly, slither, swim or hop – from dangerous chemicals found in or around your home.
Take a quick look around your house and you may discover as much as 100 pounds of “household hazardous waste” (HHW) stored in your basement, garage, kitchen, bathroom and garden shed.
Surprised? Don't be — you're not alone.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average home can easily accumulate this amount of cleaners, pesticides, paints, automotive fluids and other products containing hazardous components. While such products are safe to use if you take the proper precautions, problems generally arise when you use — or dispose of — them improperly. And if your household contains pets, you need to take extra precautions to protect all species living under your roof.
Protect your pet's health by learning more about dangers in the home. Then begin to make your home a safer place for your family and your pets.
- Buy less toxic products.
- If a situation requires using a more toxic product, buy
only as much as you need to do the job.
- Make safe cleaning solutions at home from products
such as baking soda and vinegar.
- Collect products throughout your house and drop them
off at a HHW collection event.
For more information about collection events and recipes for safe cleaning solutions, contact:
Pennsylvania Resources Council
412.488.7490
or
Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste
Task Force
412.488.7452
www.swpahhw.org
Did you know
- Of the 95,000 calls the ASPCA's poison control center received last year, 42% pertained to situations involving HHW.
- Like humans, chemicals can enter an animal's body via mouth, skin, eyes or nose.
- Unlike humans, pets can also ingest dangerous chemicals while grooming (licking fur or paws after coming in contact with toxic substances).
- The majority of poisonings in dogs and cats occurs via ingestion (eating hazardous materials or grooming after contact with such substances).
- The majority of poisonings in birds occurs via inhalation (breathing fumes, smoke and odors).
- Fish are at risk when particles from aerosol flea products (used in households that also include dogs and cats) settle in the water of fish tanks.
- Dogs and cats are attracted to the sweet taste of antifreeze, which can be fatal in even very small quantities.
- In addition to HHW, numerous other substances pose potential danger to pets, including, but not limited to: human medications (e.g. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, cold medications and dietary supplements), foods (e.g. chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions and macadamia nuts) and poisonous houseplants (e.g. philodendron, mistletoe and poinsettia).
Top 10 Tips for Safeguarding Pets
10 ) READ THE LABEL -
Read instructions and note expiration dates. Look for words such as “poison” and “danger”.
9) READ THE INSTRUCTIONS -
Properly use each product (i.e. a product safe for dogs may not be safe for cats).
8) SAFEGUARD PETS FROM PESTICIDES & RODENTICIDES -
Keep pets away from recently treated areas. Be sure to thoroughly wash off paws before a pet enters the house.
7) STORE ITEMS AWAY FROM PETS -
Seal containers and place them out of the reach of pets. Use trash cans with lids.
6) USE ADEQUATE VENTILATION -
Be aware of the dangers of toxic fumes (especially when using oven cleaners in the presence of birds).
5) USE COMMON SENSE -
Always think before acting (i.e. remove birds from a room before beginning to paint).
4) USE SAFE SUBSTITUTES -
Purchase safe products — or make non-toxic alternatives at home from items such as baking soda and vinegar.
3) BUY ONLY WHAT YOU NEED -
Estimate the quantity you need…and don't fall for large quantities on “sale”.
2) TALK TO OTHERS -
Share this information with everyone who comes in contact with your pet — gardeners, carpet cleaners, house cleaners, exterminators, pet sitters, etc.
1) DISPOSE OF EXCESS TOXIC MATERIALS -
Attend a HHW drop-off event.
Visit www.swpahhw.org or call 412.488.7452.
Learn more
about protecting pets in your home by contacting the following organizations:
American Humane Society
303.792.9900
Offers information on pet care and issues including household chemical hazards.
American Red Cross
202.303.4498
Gives tips on how to care for your pet in an emergency. Also offers a pet first-aid book.
ASPCA
(American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
212.876.7700
Provides information for making and keeping your pet's home poison safe and details about the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
American Veterinary Medical Association
847.925.8070
Offers an assortment of brochures on animal health including household hazards.
Humane Society of the United States
202.452.1100
Provides a variety of pet care guides including protecting your pet from common household dangers and accidental poisoning.
Note: PRC does not endorse or recommend any of the groups or organizations listed in this brochure. Individuals seeking information or services from them should fully research their qualifications and capabilities as related to their needs.
Thanks to:
Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force
Dr. Michael Hutchinson, DVM of Animal General in Cranberry, PA
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