We Live Here: Your dog

We Live Here, my series on raising awareness about  habitat and how you can maintain and preserve it, continues with a message from your dog (as told to me). And if you're wondering whether the lawn qualifies as habitat, your dog would tell you it does, because he pretty much lives there every chance he gets in the spring, summer and fall.

"Sure, we love your bed and hanging out on the sofa with you, but we really love playing in the grass, chomping on sticks, chasing our favorite ball and just rolling around and getting dirty. So, please don’t let Scotts® persuade you to grow the greenest lawn in the neighborhood, and step away from all pesticides and chemicals for our sake and yours."

Canines have been suffering from cancer for years now and the studies are conclusive; there is a definite link between lawn and garden pesticides and cancer, and not just in dogs and cats, but in humans, too. Small animals and kids are especially vulnerable because of their lower on the ground level exposure to these harmful chemicals.

If you don’t know the facts, it’s time you learned. Protect your children, your pets and yourself. Prostate, breast and other types of cancer are linked to the use of pesticides. And run-off from lawn fertilizers and weed and feed products have been polluting our waterways for decades.

As a major public health threat the use of pesticides on lawns, gardens and the produce we eat is similar to what we learned about smoking cigarettes. For a long time we didn’t know any better and the folks that were making money from tobacco didn't want us to know. And then we learned and now we know.

Many organic alternatives are reasonably priced and widely available; making this change is easier than you think. 

Your best friend thanks you in advance.