http://www.nwk9.com/pesticides.htm

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Conspicuously post your property with signs declaring that no
pesticide or herbicide spraying is allowed.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13.

14. Call, or ask your veterinarian to call, the National Animal
Poison Control Center immediately to obtain appropriate treatment
recommendations.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.