Pet owners urged to make this year a ‘smoke free’ Christmas

Smoking

Pet owners in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale are being advised not to smoke or allow smoking in their homes around pets because of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on their health.

Tobacco Free Futures has teamed up with the UK’s leading veterinary charity, PDSA, to highlight the risk of cancers amongst pets. Recent findings have revealed that even limited exposure to tobacco smoke can more than double a cat’s risk of feline malignant lymphoma, one of the commonest types of cancer seen in cats.

Other findings found an association between exposure to secondhand smoke and nasal cancer in dogs - birds and rabbits are also risk.

This advice comes on the heels of the successful Take 7 Steps Out campaign which reported that 19 per cent of people who saw the campaign moved outside to smoke. Tobacco Free Futures is now urging the public to take the same action for the benefit of their pets health and make their homes smokefree.

PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, says: “The effects of second-hand smoke on humans are well known, but many people don’t realise their habit may also be damaging their pet’s health. When owners smoke in their home or close to their pets, their pets have no choice but to inhale the toxic fumes.

“So next time your cat cuddles up to you on the sofa or your dog brings you his favourite toy, please think about their health and the harmful effects your lighting up will cause them.”

There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in cigarette smoke including arsenic, cyanide and ammonia, which can cause illnesses such as lung cancer and chronic breathing difficulties in household pets when exposed to secondhand smoke indoors.

Andrea Crossfield, Director for Tobacco Free Futures said: “As a nation of animal lovers it’s important that we are aware of the impact secondhand smoke can have on our pets. The Take 7 Steps Out campaign proved to be extremely effective in encouraging more people to take their smoking right away from children, but the same applies to pets because they are also very susceptible to smoking related health problems.”