Question:
I live in a condo, and my condo association arranges for a pest-control company to spray each unit twice a month. I have a cat that walks on the floor where the chemicals are sprayed, and then she licks her paws to clean herself. I worry that the pest-control chemicals used might be toxic.Are there any pest-control chemicals that are safe to use and that will not harm household pets?.
A.A., Miami, FL Feb 18, 2007
Answer:
Pest-control companies may give every assurance the chemicals they use are safe when applied properly, but that's what the government said about DDT and other pesticides that are now banned for health reasons.You live in a subtropical state where bugs can be an annoyance but are relatively harmless compared to the chemicals used to keep them at bay. Your condo association should wake up and consult with a company that offers an integrative pest-management program that has zero risk to both humans and companion animals.There are, for example, flea-and-cockroach powders and baits that are safe and can be placed where your cat can't reach. Also, your condo association should pass a resolution to not use toxic herbicides and other harmful lawn-and-garden chemicals around the property.
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