Healthy and Green Living » Safety

Can Poinsettias Kill Your Cat?

Melissa Breyer — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:01:57 +0000

It’s possible that poinsettias get the bummest rap in all of the plant world. They’ve got a bad-girl reputation as deadly beauties, but is the ubiquitous holiday plant actually toxic? About 70 percent of the population will answer yes, and although every year there is a bumper crop of stories explaining otherwise–the myth persists. In [...]

Swine Flu Confirmed in Cat!

Melissa Breyer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:01:37 +0000

Avoiding H1N1: wash your hands; don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth; stay home if you’re sick. But what if you happen to be a cat? Since few cats enjoy a 20-second paw wash…the advice? Stay away from people! According to a press release issued by the American Veterinary Medical Association, a 13-year old tabby in [...]

Saving the Dogs of Bali

Megan, selected from The Bark — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:20:30 +0000

By Twig Mowatt, The Bark On a steamy June morning, employees of the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) are engaged in one of the most rewarding parts of the job: delivering puppies to an enthusiastic group of new owners -all sixth-graders- in the town of Ubud. The students have completed a course in animal welfare, making [...]

Halloween Pet Dangers

Melissa Breyer — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:20 +0000

It’s easy to want to involve our pets in all of the action and excitement of our lives; but it’s not always so great for our pets. Consider Halloween. Consider it from a pet’s perspective, to be specific–the doorbell ringing over and over, a parade of yelling sugar-fueled “creatures” behind the door, chocolate to find, [...]

Is Your Pet a Toxic Dumping Ground?

Mel, selected from Natural Solutions magazine — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:00:29 +0000

You work hard to reduce your family’s exposure to household toxins, but your pets may face a greater risk than you, says Olga Naidenko, PhD, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, “Where do our pets spend their time? They sleep on the couch, roll around on the carpet, and get dust carrying toxic chemicals [...]

Humpback Whales: Don’t Harm Their Habitat

Robyn Erler — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:16:22 +0000

Every year, about 7,000 humpback whales migrate to Antongil Bay, the coastal waters in northeastern Madagascar, to breed and calve. At the same time, shrimp trawling boats in the area threaten the bay ecosystem as their huge nets sift through the sea and destroy the underwater habitat. And its destructive harvesting threatens the life of humpback [...]

Toxic Pet Medication? Ingredients to Avoid

Megan, selected from Green Options — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:10:06 +0000

Do you use flea or tick medications on your pet? A report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council linked chemicals found in flea and tick medications to serious health problems in both pets and humans. The main offenders are organophosphate insecticides and carbamates, which interfere with nerve signals in the body. Though these chemicals [...]

Prevent Pet Injuries in the Home

Megan, selected from The Bark — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:09:51 +0000

Imagine living in a world of giants, where nearly every object is colossal and the local terrain is treacherous. Furniture towers eight feet high. Staircase “mountains” are intimidating, with each step equal to your full height. Jumping on and off the enormous furniture and scaling staircases make for a tough day. This is your home from [...]

How to Prevent Heat Stroke in Pets

Annie B. Bond — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:02:47 +0000

For pets that are sensitive to heat, the steamy summer months are not only uncomfortable, they are also the time when the risk of fatal heatstroke is highest. Thousands of pets die needlessly every summer from over-exposure to heat.

Learn how to protect your pets from this easy-to-prevent killer. Here's how:

Dog Safety Tips for Fourth of July

Melissa Breyer — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:07:07 +0000

While we might associate the thump and boom of fireworks with festivity and a great display, many of our canine companions are completely freaked out by Fourth of July noises. Some dogs cower and shiver, some panic and try to escape from their homes. We checked in with the The Humane Society to gather some advice [...]