NorthWest K9 Reading Room Checklist for Avoiding Pesticide and Herbicide Disasters Copyright 1997-- by Moc Klinkam; All Rights Reserved With the arrival of spring, folks everywhere gear up for the growing season. Sadly, because of our increasing reliance on pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic chemicals, the season of miraculous growth and regeneration can too easily become a season of tragic toxicity and possible injury or death for our companion animals. I’m providing this checklist so that others can learn about and hopefully avoid chemical pesticide or herbicide poisoning of their companion animals. Be aware and be proactive. Ask your neighbors if they intend on doing any pesticide/herbicide spraying on their property, and if so, what, where, and when they intend to spray. Inquire of your local, city, and county government if broad-application roadside or aerial spraying is to be conducted in your area. Find out what you can do to prevent this indiscriminate spraying on your property, or at least receive adequate notice so that you can prepare accordingly. Urban dwellers should be particularly vigilant if your neighbors contract with commercial spraying companies that arrive several times a year with their tanker trunks primed to pump. Rural inhabitants have the added concern of aerial crop dusting operations. Inform your neighbors and their spraying service in writing that you have animals on your property. Request that you must be informed 48 hours before any spraying or application is commenced to adequately protect your animals. While you likely do not have the right to prohibit adjacent property owners from legal applications of pesticides/herbicides, you do have the legal right to adequate notice and protective measures as outlined in the official federal label for each product. The "label" is the federally-mandated information sheet about each pesticide that details its manufacturer, ingredients, toxicity, warnings, legal uses, and treatments in case of exposure. Additional local laws and regulations may also apply. Following any pesticide/herbicide application in the area, restrict your animals from that area for at least the minimum recommended period of time as indicated on the label. Demand that anybody spraying pesticides/herbicides -- whether it be your neighbor or a commercial enterprise -- produce the label prior to spraying. Do not settle for the excuse from a commercial sprayer that he "doesn’t have it on him." By federal law, they must have the label with them at all times or they are subject to stiff fines and penalties. Notify the local spraying companies in your area, in writing, that any spraying of adjacent properties may not be done without at least 48 hours notice to you and that such notice must include a copy of the federal label for each product that is intended to be sprayed. Conspicuously post your property with signs declaring that no pesticide or herbicide spraying is allowed. Demand that all precautions, handling instructions, spraying directions, etc. be rigorously adhered to and that all required protective apparel/gear, etc. be employed as directed by federal law and as directed on the product label. If your dog is accidentally exposed to a pesticide/herbicide, call your veterinarian immediately and provide specific information about the chemical, the amount sprayed or ingested, and any symptoms your dog is exhibiting. Be prepared to rush your dog to the clinic for emergency treatment. Your veterinarian may advise you to bathe the dog immediately and thoroughly, using copious amounts of common liquid dish detergent (the brand name "Joy" is recommended by my veterinarian) for several repeat washes and rinses with warm (not hot!) water. If the dog ingests a toxic substance, read the label first for appropriate treatment and call your veterinarian immediately. NEVER guess about appropriate treatments for ingested poisons. What successfully treats one type of poisoning may only exacerbate the effects of a different poison with tragic results. Call, or ask your veterinarian to call, the National Animal Poison Control Center immediately to obtain appropriate treatment recommendations. Call the manufacturer published on the label for additional information and treatment protocols for accidental poisoning. Note: Do NOT rely solely on the manufacturer for information about appropriate treatment and veterinary care. Information from the chemical manufacturer should only be used in conjunction with treatment information provided by your vet and by qualified veterinary poison control professionals. Remember to also bathe yourself after an exposure, to remove any toxins that have rubbed off onto you; and thoroughly wash any clothing, towels, bedding, carpeting, bathtub area, etc. that may have been exposed. Depending on the federal laws that apply to the particular product, exposed items may be considered hazardous materials and should be handled and formally disposed of appropriately. Report the incident to your regional Department of Agriculture/Pesticide Spraying Department. Request that an investigator come to your property to thoroughly investigate the incident, and to conduct tests to determine the presence of toxic chemicals on your property. Request a copy of their report for your reference if future action against the sprayer is warranted. Report the incident to all local, regional, and state agencies in your area with jurisdiction over environmental issues and/or the use of pesticides and hazardous materials. If you regularly walk, and especially if you track your dog on public or privately-owned property that is not your own, inquire of the owners about any pesticide applications and respond accordingly. Never track a dog on newly sprayed or fertilized agricultural farmland. If you are presently using, or plan to use, pesticides or herbicides on your own property, please read the labels carefully, follow the instructions to the letter, and then think twice before using these potentially deadly compounds. There are much safer alternatives to indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides and herbicides, and our animals, our children, and our planet will thank you for your responsible and humane use of them.