Calling all Pet Owners in the United States
Healthy Pets, Healthy People
Companion animals can have a direct beneficial effect on the health and well-being of owners and families. They can also be important sentinels of environmental conditions in and around the homes of their people. The One Health Commission is administering a voluntary survey to gather information from pet owners to evaluate health trends in cats and dogs across the US.
Background
Over 55% of U.S. households own a pet dog or cat. These companion animals can have direct benefits to their owners’ health and well-being. Because pets often share their owners’ living spaces and have accelerated life spans, they can also be important indicators of human exposure to chemicals and potential health risks. Pets can be sentinels for diseases and exposures in a shared environment.
The One Health Commission (OHC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are working together on the National Pet Health Survey, a research project using voluntary input to identify pet health trends and disease hotspots across the United States.
Anticipated Outcomes
The survey will provide scientists, concerned pet owners, and the general public with one of the largest health and disease databases for pet dogs and cats across the U.S. The data will be summarized and integrated into EPA’s EnviroAtlas website (www.epa.gov/enviroatlas). Through EnviroAtlas, the public will be able to display pet health information by specified areas, such as zip codes or states, in order to learn about emerging pet health issues.
Take the Survey
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