DEAR READERS: The news reports began around 2023 that animal shelters were filling up with relinquished companion animals, especially dogs, because people could no longer afford to keep them and because of housing restrictions. The situation a year later is much worse. The rising costs of living, of food, housing, health care, utilities and transportation are a reality, as is the deteriorating condition of essential infrastructures and supply chains.

A failing economy that is unsustainable for multiple reasons, exacerbated by climate change, is behind public concerns globally about inflation. If not corrected, this will be a prelude to growing unemployment, poverty, famine, plague and pestilence, and ever-more economic, political and environmental refugees. This is no doomsday prophecy, but a logical projection of what is unfolding today: more insect-borne diseases with higher temperatures and humidity, and food shortages with extreme weather events.

All of this can still be averted and corrected by each one of us striving to live by the golden rule; speaking truth to power and corruption; taking Mark Twain’s advice to change how leaders lead; and supporting a society and a United Nations of Environmental and Social Justice.

Lamentably, the current U.S. Supreme Court is in the service of money, making rulings to benefit business interests that promise to boost the economy. But truth and consequences cannot be ignored in any democracy. On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that the federal courts can overrule the experts at federal agencies whose job is to implement public health and safety laws. Instead, federal courts would be the arbiters of regulatory questions, including those involving science. This is an indefensible ruling that will make it harder to protect people and enforce laws against pollution and other public health threats, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). (For more details, go to ucsusa.org).

It will further weaken the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies, whose role in the climate and public health crises of these dystopian times must be fully empowered with sound science, bioethics and the rule of law. My late wife, Deanna L. Krantz, bequeathed half of our savings to nonprofit environmental and animal protection organizations, many staff of which, working in-field, receive death threats and experience PTSD. Almost 2,000 land and environmental defenders were killed between 2012 and 2022 for protecting the planet, according to Global Witness (globalwitness.org/en/press-releases/almost-2000-land-and-environmental-defenders-killed-between-2012-and-2022-protecting-planet).

People with money might do better to make a donation rather than take another vacation!

DEPLORABLE SCIENCE-BASED WOLF SLAUGHTER FOR CARIBOU CONSERVATION

While acknowledging the impacts of habitat loss due to human encroachment, recreation-associated disturbances and climate change on vegetation and caribou health, 34 scientists are endorsing the continued killing of wolves to “save” the caribou because their numbers in western Canada are finally beginning to increase due to the slaying of thousands of wolves.

Evidently the science of wildlife management is in an ethical vacuum with a serious blind spot when it comes to envisioning and adopting a more holistic approach to habitat protection and restoration rather than the expedient “remedy” of killing predators.

See the study "Effectiveness of Population-Based Recovery Actions for Threatened Southern Mountain Caribou" by C.T. Lamb et al., published in Ecological Applications, 2024.

HUMAN RECREATION AFFECTS WILD ANIMALS’ BEHAVIOR

Wild animals were nearly five times as likely to flee when they heard sounds of human recreation on a boombox than when natural sounds were played, per a recent study. Animals stayed vigilant nearly three times as long, and animal abundance at the site studied was depressed for a week after recreation noises had been played.

Researchers played recreation sounds at a level approximating one or two groups of people using a trail each day, research biologist Kathy Zeller said. Sounds from large groups of hikers or mountain bikers were the most likely to disturb wildlife. See the study "Experimental recreationist noise alters behavior and space use of wildlife" by Katherine A. Zeller et al., published in Current Biology, 2024.

More people than ever are vacationing in natural areas for the many physical and mental benefits that being in nature can provide, but visitors clearly need to be mindful of the negative impact on wildlife their presence can cause. Being quiet, highly vigilant and mindful are essential elements of respect, along with not littering and making fires. Also, ecotourism operators should keep all clients away from wildlife for safety reasons and to prevent vulnerable species, from gorillas to penguins, being infected especially with influenza virus.

I wish that all schoolchildren, beginning in grade school, learned mindfulness and self-composure by sitting still and silently together at the beginning of every school day for three minutes. This would enhance their ability to be quiet -- and safe -- when visiting wildlife areas, and to behave more mannerly around peers and adults. It would also likely reduce the incidence of dog bites, which often occur at home when they are jumping around and not allowing their companion animals to eat or rest in peace!

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I appreciate reading in your columns about ways we can all reduce our carbon footprints and slow down climate change, such as by eating less meat, becoming vegetarian and traveling less, especially by air. Another reason to travel less on airplanes: I heard on the news that there are 18,000 annual bird strikes by airline traffic and about 4% must make emergency landings. -- B.K., Washington, D.C.

DEAR B.K.: Thank you for sharing this disturbing information. People with disposable income who want to travel for pleasure -- regardless of the risks to bird life and the contribution of air traffic to climate change -- might consider expeditions with Earthwatch, a nonprofit organization that pairs researchers with volunteers to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. For details, visit: earthwatch.org/expeditions.

Airline cargo traffic is also on the rise as companies like Amazon ship consumables across the country. As consumers order things online, they unwittingly add to the bird death toll, as well as to the demise of local shops in our communities.

Consumption was an old name for tuberculosis, but in these times, it has a new meaning: Consumption now refers to the addictive disease of consumerism!

ANOTHER ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER CAUSING HEALTH PROBLEMS

Xylitol is a widely used artificial sweetener found in candy, gum, prepared foods and beverages, even toothpaste. Now, a new study published in the European Heart Journal found that people with higher levels of xylitol in their blood had nearly double the risk of heart attack, stroke or death within three years compared to those with lower levels. The study’s senior author, Dr. Stanley Hazen, says that high xylitol levels can increase platelet reactivity, which can lead to blood clots -- a major cause of heart attack and stroke.

Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs: Even small amounts can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death. In humans, xylitol does not stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas, but when dogs consume it, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. This results in a potent insulin release, causing a profound drop in blood sugar. If untreated, hypoglycemia can be life-threatening.

DEAR DR. FOX: I was reading your recent column regarding invisible fences. We had an invisible fence for 12 years for our cockapoo. We went through the proper training for the fence, and she was never outside by herself. We used to laugh that she would go lie down about 5 feet from the fence when other animals (deer, rabbits, etc.) were in sight.

In all those years, she maybe got shocked three times. That was way fewer times than I was shocked (from carrying her collar and not thinking about it). At age 14, she died of thyroid cancer. -- M.J.H., Skagit Valley, Washington

DEAR M.J.H.: Thanks for your communication regarding your dog learning to stay inside your property when you set up an invisible fence. Her closeness to this fence and wearing the shock collar could have been a factor in her developing thyroid cancer, since she would have been exposed to nonionizing radiation. The jury is still out on a definitive causality, but the American Cancer Society has some data indicating the risks of such exposure in humans and the development of leukemia and other cancers. For details, see: cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/radiation-exposure/extremely-low-frequency-radiation.

In my opinion, we need to be more mindful of our own exposure, and that of our companion animals, to various sources of such radiation, which is considered a significant risk to insects and other wildlife. I discuss the issue further in this post on my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/electropollution-existential-threat-to-public-health-and-life-on-earth.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: I wish I could include more uplifting material in my newspaper column. I read so much about animal cruelty and wanton killing every week, and I never post most of it. But I feel some of this needs to be shared because it parallels the sociopathic and psychopathic behavior of many in society today. The increasing violence in schools and deaths from drug overdoses are symptomatic of a dystopian society.

These trends call for more schools to include humane education and ethics in their curricula. Simply putting up plaques of the Ten Commandments will not suffice. At least display the declaration that nearly all religious traditions include: Live by the Golden Rule. That means treating all sentient beings as we would have them treat us.

A SICKENING ANIMAL CRUELTY PROSECUTION

Please see the following news release from In Defense of Animals, posted on June 20 at idausa.org:

"In Defense of Animals applauds the sentencing of Nicole Devilbiss, who was charged with conspiring to create and share 'crush videos' depicting monkeys being tortured and killed. On June 18, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger sentenced Devilbiss to serve four years and three months in federal prison of the five-year possible sentence.

"In Defense of Animals sent (Florida) State Attorney Roger B. Handberg a letter with 13,593 signatures seeking maximum sentencing for Devilbiss.

"A tip from an informant led to a multi-agency investigation that uncovered Devilbiss as the administrator of a Telegram group that was sharing thousands of messages and funding videos depicting the abuse and torture of monkeys. ...

"Crush videos, or crush porn, depict animals being tortured, mutilated and killed for the sexual gratification and sadistic satisfaction of viewers. The creation, sale and distribution of these videos was banned in 2010 under the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act, which was strengthened in 2019 by the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which made involvement a federal crime."

TIME TO END WILDLIFE-KILLING CONTESTS

The June 22 Star Tribune article "Quest for gopher feet binds community," by Trey Mewes, details a “treasured local event” in which "Viola Township, like many communities across Minnesota, pays a bounty for pairs of gopher feet." In other states, there are "rattlesnake rodeo" roundups, prairie dog and rabbit roundups and clubbings, as well as coyote-killing contests.

Each year, thousands of native carnivores and other wildlife -- including coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raccoons, rabbits, prairie dogs, mountain lions and wolves -- are killed during these cruel, senseless competitions. To make such competitive killings a public festival is a sad reflection of a cultural tradition that has no place in a humane, civil society where there is respect for all life. It is evident that rural attitudes toward indigenous species are lacking in respect and understanding of wildlife and their valuable ecological services.

The Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act of 2024 (H.R. 8492) was introduced in May by Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee and 16 cosponsors. The bill would require the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service to enact regulations banning wildlife killing contests, within one year of the law's enactment, on 500 million acres of public lands.

Contact your members of Congress to urge them to support H.R. 8492.

DEAR DR. FOX: A friend sent me an account she'd seen online: To summarize, a bird flew into a window and died, and its mate hopped over to lie down beside it. It sounded very sad and beautiful -- an example of animals feeling emotion. This is what you have been writing about in your column over the years, about how sentient animals are. -- K.F., Minneapolis

DEAR K.F.: Thank you for alerting me to this touching story. I recall receiving a letter some years ago from a horse owner who saw one of her old horses collapse and die in the paddock. A companion horse trotted over, examined the dead horse, then keeled over and died.

This is evidence of the strong bond animals can develop; when it is broken, they can die from a broken heart. This broken heart syndrome, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is recognized in humans and is now being documented in animals. The stress of capture or predation can cause a heart attack in a variety of wild animals.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)