One health is a project with which ARNS is a founder group member and it concerns the health of people, animals, the environment and the effect they have on each other. This project now has a UK multi-professional steering group with representation from the human, animal and environmental sectors. Wendy Preston represents nursing on this group and a nurse group looking at collaboration between veterinary and human nurses.
The first One Health project made UK wide media coverage highlighting the effect on smoking on pets and the negative effect of 2nd and 3rd hand smoking. ARNS, RCN, BTS and BLF have released a press release in conjunction with a range of veterinary societies with the aim of increasing public and health care professional knowledge of research that measures the amount of smoke particles on fur of small animals such as cats and dogs. This can be used as another discussion point when helping current smokers to consider a quit attempt.
Wendy Preston, Chair of ARNS, was interviewed on BBC Breakfast Time on 31st October 2017, when she explained how new evidence showed that the high concentration of nicotine in dog and cat fur put animals at risk of ingesting these substances when grooming themselves.
The project group will be developing resources to increase awareness and promote smoking cessation.
A press release detailing the project was sent to key media groups. Download the press release Press release – smoking harms pets
See the BBC Breakfast Time report here
