Pet insurance provider MORE TH>N is campaigning for plant producers and manufacturers of garden products to provide clearer labelling indicating if their items are safe or harmful to cats and dogs – something that 86% of cat and dog owners would like to see.
Phil Wilson-Brown, Managing Director of MORE TH>N Insurance, commented: “We want to raise awareness of plants that are poisonous to cats and dogs. Our new campaign is urging suppliers of garden plants and flowers to provide clear ‘pet safe’ labelling.
“Through this campaign we’ll be arming pet owners with the practical advice and information they need to identify safe and dangerous plants, to recognise the symptoms of poisoning – and what to do in that eventuality – and above all to reduce the likelihood of their beloved pets becoming ill in the first place.”
Despite the clear and present dangers, there is a widespread ignorance of the perils gardens pose to animals, with one in every three pet owners (31%) polled by MORE TH>N admitting they have no idea if the plants and flowers in their gardens are toxic. The same number were unaware that plants could be poisonous to pets, while 71% of all pet owners cannot identify any of the symptoms of poisoning in their cat or dog.
Perhaps even more concerning is the finding that nearly half (44%) of pet owners are not only aware that their garden houses poisonous plants, but are prepared to risk their cat or dog won’t eat them so they can have a pretty garden.
Sadly, according to research by MORE TH>N with 2,000 cat and dog owners 8% of canines and felines in Britain have ingested poisonous plants or flowers. Of those, 43% subsequently needed urgent veterinary care, while 15% sadly passed away.
Some common garden plants that are poisonous
Asparagus Fern, Begonia, Buxus Pyramiden, Calla Lily, Cherry Laurel, Chrysanthemum, Clematis, Cordyline, Daisy, Dahlia, Delphinium, Elderberry, Eucalyptus, Flax, Foxglove, Geranium, Grape Plant, Hedera Ivy, Hosta, Hydrangea Ligustrum Privet, Lilium Asian Lily, Lobelia, Lupinus Blue, Marigold, Nerium Oleander, Paeonia Mix, Papaver Poppy, Taxus Baccata Yew, Tomato Plant, Verbena, Wisteria.
General symptoms of poisoning from plants or flowers
Oral or skin irritation
Upset stomach / Vomiting / Diarrhoea
Weakness
Rapid breathing
Fever
Drooling
Coma
Heart failure
Depression
Excitability or lethargy
Tremors/Seizures/Fitting
Increased Thirst
Dilated Pupils
Dizziness / Loss of Balance
Disorientation
For more information on this campaign petition please visit www.morethan.com/pet-insurance/news/most-poisonous-garden.
