Your pet is at far greater risk from plastic than you think

A new report released by Earthday.org, a leader in advocacy for Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22 since 1970, reveals that the exposure of pets to harmful plastics is much higher than many pet owners may have imagined. The report, “Pets Vs. Plastics”, explores the exposure of pets to microplastics and toxic plastic chemicals and follows Earthday.org’s s recent “Babies Vs. Plastics” report, the organization said in a press release.

“Pet owners should read this report,” said Aidan Charron, Earthday.org’s director, End Plastic Initiatives. “Plastic is derived from a cocktail of oil and additive chemicals, like bisphenol A, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and phthalates. These can leach into our pets’ gums, stomachs, and skin and are associated with a whole host of health issues for our pets, from cancers to embryo development to potential infertility, liver failure, miscarriage, and more. ”

Actress-singer-songwriter Amanda Seyfried and her dog Finn took part in a Plastic Tox test to support Earthday.org’s effort to raise awareness about the health risks of plastic chemical exposure for both humans and pets. “I was anxious about the results and when they came back, I was definitely upset by my dog Finn’s exposure, he scored in the top 90% on phthalates, which is very high,” said Seyfried. “I feed him a healthy diet, but I realize now that the plastic packaging on his food is leaching toxic chemicals directly into it. It was a bit of a wake-up call. If his food is contaminated with phthalates, then that convinces me that all of us are much more exposed than we perhaps realize, including our children.”

There are over one billion pets worldwide, according to the Global Animal Health Association’s 2022 report, and the pet industry, in 2023, was worth a staggering $320 billion, or Rs26.56 lakh crore. The global pet market’s trajectory is predicted to hit $500 billion, or about Rs42 lakh crore, by 2030. In short, pets are big business.

Pets are good for humans—they reduce anxiety and dogs, in particular, help to improve their owners’ physical health. The American Heart Association has stated that dog ownership may play a role in reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Other research has discovered that pets are good for our cognitive function as we age.  So, there are many reasons to care about their well-being.

“Even if you don’t care about your own pet’s health, and we do, our pets act as sentinels,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earthday.org. “What impacts them is almost certainly impacting us and this is yet more evidence that we are all ingesting and inhaling plastics in one form or another. We must slash plastic production by 60% by 2040 and make the plastic industry take responsibility for the harm they are causing.”

Pets are increasingly part of human families. Research has shown that a majority of pet owners regard their relationship with their pets, especially dogs and cats,  as akin to a relationship with a child. “We are not trying to frighten pet owners, we just want them to be aware that it is best for your pet’s health to avoid plastic toys and textiles as much as possible, and really be mindful of how their food is packaged,” said Tom Cosgrove, chief creative and content officer at Earthday.org. “We are bombarding our bodies, our families, and our pets with a toxic mix of chemicals and we want people to be aware.”

The following are five key takeaways from the Earthday.org report.

Pet toys are often made of plastic. Toys also often go in animals’ mouths.

Plush pet toys, bedding, and clothes are made from plastic synthetic textiles like polyester which shed microplastics, the Earthday.org report said. Even non-polyester toys can contain microplastics or plastic additive chemicals. For example, PVC, a hard plastic, and its chemical softener, phthalates, are often included in dog toys. Use of phthalates in children’s toys is banned in some countries and the chemicals could affect the reproductive systems of animals. But pet toys are unregulated for dangerous chemicals, the report said.

To keep your pet safe from the harms of plastic and its chemical additives in toys, give it toys made of natural materials like bamboo, organic cotton, and natural rubber. Or make your own toys using old cotton clothing.

Restaurant waste, fæces, plastic, or chemicals could be lurking in your pet’s food.

The Truth About Pet Food website states that the nonprofit Association of American Feed Control Officials, which is the body tasked with describing animal feed and pet food ingredients, lists food processing waste, restaurant food waste, and recovered retail food in animal food. The association also permits animal waste, by which it means cattle, swine, and chicken fæces. While that does not mean the pet food or animal feed you currently use contains all these ingredients, it does mean it may contain some of them, and you have no way of knowing.

While plastic  is officially not ‘allowed’ as an ingredient in pet food in the USA, it gets into pet food via the plastic ear tags attached to the heads of carcass animals. Dust is another ingredient listed as acceptable for pet’s food.

To ensure your pet’s food quality and safety, try home-cooked food, with guidance from your veterinarian. Just don’t use ingredients that are toxic for dogs, such as onions, grapes, or chocolate.

Your pets’ food is packaged in plastic. This could be leaching into their food.

Much like toys, pet food packaging is often made of plastics, like plastic pouches. Dog feed is often lined with bisphenol A and cat food tins with PVC. Phthalates can be used to create containers. These plastic cocktails can all leach into pet food and cause health problems, the report said.

If you must buy pet food, find brands that use plastic alternatives or plant-based materials for packaging. If those are unavailable, then once you get your kibble home, empty it into a tin container. The less time the food is exposed to plastic, the better.

Your pet is close to the ground, where dust and microplastics lie.

Unless your pets are Great Danes or similar dogs, they are probably smaller and closer to the ground than most of us, apart from infants. This puts them at greater and more frequent risk of inhaling the microplastics and microfibres found in dust coming from our clothes, carpets, curtains, and household furniture, nearly all of which are made at least partially from some form of plastic material, the report said.

Vacuum the house frequently to control and reducing your pets’—and your—exposure to plastic in dust. Regular cleaning and dusting prevents dust from accumulating. Using an indoor air filter can minimize microplastics in the air.

#5: Neither the American nor the global pet products industry is regulated properly.

There are no laws expressly or solely regulating pet toys in the USA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate non-food, pet-related products and the Consumer Product Safety Commission says it lacks the authority to protect pets from unsafe products, like plastic toys, bedding, and clothes.

Despite more than 66% of U.S. households owning a pet, proper regulation has been put on the backburner, and things are not vastly different elsewhere in the world. So if you live in a democracy, consider asking your local political leaders to do more to protect your pets. Vote for lawmakers who support pet-friendly legislation, and sign the Global Plastics Treaty. Just as humans have safety regulations for their food and belongings, there should be for our friends, too.

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Caution: Information in news reports, press releases, or articles on TheSnout.in is not intended to serve as a medical opinion or advice. Do not attempt to treat yourself or your pets without consulting the appropriate medical professional.