December 2019

Join us in Co-creating
Treasure Coast LIFT!
natural pet
Learn & Inspire From Togetherness
It’s more than
networking -
it is building a
community.
LIFT Network
Learn & Inspire From Togetherness
Join us in our mission
to bring together
holistic, natural health,
eco-friendly, like-minded
practitioners and
business owners in the
community.
MEETING THIS MONTH
IN STUART!
Please Join us for this
Informal Gathering
WHEN: Thursday, December 5
TIME: 5 – 7pm
Meeting Start: 5:30pm
PLACE: Salt of the Earth &
Herbs and Owls
422 SW Akron St #4 • Stuart
COME AS YOU ARE!
Casual and comfortable encouraged.
Light refreshments will be served!
Provided by Salt of the Earth
& Herbs and Owls
Brought to you by
For more information,
call 321-426-0080
Perfect Pet Presents
Safe and Eco-Smart Toys
The pet aisles are so full of squeaking,
plush and colorful toys it can
make a dog or cat parent’s head
spin like a Frisbee. Add blinking lights,
flavors, promises of higher intelligence or
cleaner teeth; then toss in concerns about
sustainably sourced materials, potentially
toxic ingredients and varying degrees of
quality. The choices are complex.
It would be nice to look for that
gold seal of approval from the Pet Toy
Regulatory Agency. But don’t bother:
There is no such thing. It’s all up to the
consumer to figure it out.
The Problem Is Real
Concern regarding toxicants in children’s
toys and the realization that they
posed a risk of chemical exposure led
to regulatory protections. “Similar
safeguards do not exist for pets, even
though they exhibit similar chewing
and mouthing behaviors,” says Philip
N. Smith, Ph.D., associate
professor of terrestrial
ecotoxicology at Texas Tech
University in Lubbock.
“Owner education is key
to limiting unintentional
chemical exposure.”
According to a 2013 study
co-authored by Smith and
by Julie Peterson
published in the journal Chemosphere,
common endocrine-disrupting chemical
toxins in plastics can enter a dog’s
body through saliva. Concentrations of
leachable chemicals can increase in older,
degraded toys, according to the National
Institutes of Health.
For anyone that has ever had a pet
destroy a toy faster than it takes to calculate
the cost per second, durable construction
may be the highest concern. After all, if the
toy is vigorously ripped to shreds, pieces
may be swallowed. The most immediate
issue becomes intestinal blockage.
This is a common problem for cats and
dogs with a propensity to eat garbage,
plants and holiday decorations. But when
we spend good money on actual toys,
we would like to think that
it won’t lead to surgery.
Unfortunately, there is no
guarantee. Poorly constructed
toys have required many
pet owners to watch for
the parts to pass through
the animal or, worse yet,
make a trip to the vet.
Even if a toy seems
sturdy, it’s best to observe
the animal with the toy.
Charlotte Easterling,
a graphic designer in
Yellowj/Shutterstock.com New Africa/Shutterstock.com
36 Space & Treasure Coast Edition MyNaturalAwakenings.com