WHS Launches Unique Pesticide Awareness Campaign
Winnipeg, MB (PRWEB) April 14, 2014 -- The Winnipeg Humane Society and its partners today launched a Winnipeg-wide campaign to alert citizens to the danger lawn pesticides pose for children and pets.
Central to the campaign are transit shelter advertisements featuring a girl holding her dog and the words, “Doctors say lawn and garden pesticides hurt our kids”.
This is the first time WHS has run a public awareness campaign of this kind.
“Many people know pesticides threaten children’s health but we also wanted to stress that these poisons are hazardous to our cats and dogs,” says Aileen White, the Society’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs.
The scientific literature shows that dogs exposed to pesticides – including the common weed killer 2,4-D – are at increased risk of canine malignant lymphoma, a type of cancer.
The Government of Manitoba has promised to introduce a lawn pesticide ban shortly. The advertising campaign makes clear why such a ban is needed.
“Our four-legged friends need protection, too,” says White. “We’re encouraging Manitobans to keep their properties beautiful the way people in eastern Canada do – using non-toxic methods and products.”
Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes already have prohibitions on lawn pesticides.
“The Humane Society believes Manitoba’s family pets deserve the same protection that pets in eastern Canada enjoy,” says White.
The advertising campaign is also supported by the David Suzuki Foundation, the Green Action Centre, and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
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The Winnipeg Humane Society is Manitoba’s oldest and largest animal welfare agency. The WHS receives thousands of animals per year, and relies on donations to support every function of the shelter –from surgeries, to emergency response, to outreach and education. The WHS offers more than just pet adoption – the shelter offers behaviour and training classes, education outreach programs and a subsidized spay and neuter program. For more information on The WHS, please visit winnipeghumanesociety.ca.
Laina Hughes, The Winnipeg Humane Society, http://www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca/home, +1 (204) 988-8810, [email protected]
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