DEAR READERS: A December article by AP reporter Steven Grattan, “Drought, fires and more battered the Amazon,” did not underscore two underlying contributing factors to the rainforest's destruction: namely, soybeans and beef. The burning and clearing of the forest for soybean and beef production, which has been going on for decades, has now changed the climate in this bioregion, putting the entire ecosystem in danger.

Countries that have imported soybeans and beef from Brazil over the years have contributed to this global calamity. In 2022, the top importer of soybeans was China ($54.1 billion worth), with much of it coming from Brazil. The United States imported $438 million of soybeans that year. China also imported nearly $8 billion worth of beef from Brazil that year, accounting for more than two-thirds of Brazil’s total beef exports. The U.S. was the second-largest importer of beef from Brazil, taking in about 100,000 tons of it.

All importing countries should be held accountable, and free- and fair-trade agreements should be based on environmental impact and social justice determinations.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a question about spring water. I’m not asking for a brand recommendation, but what criteria should I use to narrow down my options? What spring water would you consider letting your animals drink? -- L.S., St. Louis

DEAR L.S.: You raise important questions: Where can we find pure drinking water, and is spring water acceptable?

I have raised several concerns about our water sources, from municipal tap water to well water to deep groundwater from springs and aquifers. Many of the latter are now seriously depleted and contaminated with agrichemicals (nitrate fertilizers in particular), and increasing salinity is a problem in many coastal regions. Municipal water can be high in chlorine, used to kill fecal bacterial contamination; in added fluoride; and in PFAs (”forever” chemicals) and microplastics. Some cats will refuse to drink water straight from the tap, choosing to wait for a while until the chlorine in it dissipates! For details, see my post here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/pure-water-for-cats-and-dogs-and-all.

As for water sold in plastic bottles, think of the chemicals in the plastic going into the water, and the vast tonnage of plastic pollution created by the bottled-water industry (along with the rest of the beverage industry). Often, so-called “spring water” sold in plastic bottles comes from dubious sources!

I highly advise homeowners to invest in water purification systems such as reverse osmosis. For myself and my animal companions, I use the reputable ZeroWater filter pitcher (zerowater.com).

Freshwater resources are being seriously depleted in many parts of the world, calling for greater conservation efforts.

DEAR READERS: Please see the items below regarding bird flu, an issue of growing concern. My advice: Keep cats indoors and do not feed them raw food!

-- CATS’ HUNTING HABITS HEIGHTEN BIRD FLU RISK

Cats are at a higher risk of contracting bird flu because of their hunting habits, according to veterinarian Michael Bailey, incoming president of the AVMA. Recent outbreaks have affected domestic and large cats, with some showing neurological symptoms. Pet owners are advised to limit cats’ exposure to wild birds and raw foods. “We don’t know if the cats are more susceptible than anybody else,” Bailey said. “It’s just the fact (that) they’re exposed to higher viral burdens because of where they go.” (Full story: OneGreenPlanet.org, Jan. 1)

-- EXPERTS WARN AGAINST RAW PET FOOD AFTER CAT DIES

Northwest Naturals has recalled certain batches of its turkey-based cat food after a cat in Oregon died from bird flu linked to the product. The FDA is investigating other cases of bird flu in cats across Western states, emphasizing the risks of feeding pets contaminated raw food. (Full story: NBC News, Dec. 30)

-- SECOND RAW FOOD BRAND LINKED TO BIRD FLU IN CATS

Los Angeles County health officials have identified a second raw pet food brand, Monarch Raw Pet Food, as containing bird flu, leading to the illness of five house cats. Health officials have warned against feeding pets raw food. (Full story: ABC News, Dec. 31)

(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 just read your “New Year’s Reality Check” column in my local paper. Thank you for shining a light on so many obvious issues that we are facing around the world. ... I only hope and pray that you have a wide readership that pays attention and reads your articles regularly. They are full of your insights and knowledge on many issues facing us: animal sentience, climate disasters and now environmental refugees. I also hope some of your readers choose to do something about it -- or talk to others about their fears!

Recently I had to explain, to my 7-year-old son, how our changing climate might affect him in the upper Midwest. Our reduced snowfall and warmer temps are changing the seasons, and must be harming wildlife’s ability to migrate, too. Thank you again for continuing to make these concepts known; you are a great resource! -- B.S., South Bend, Indiana

DEAR DR. FOX: Great article. If only they would replace the “breaking news” with more valuable content like this. -- R.S., Port Townsend, Washington

DEAR DR. FOX: I faithfully read you in every newspaper edition I receive. I completely agree with your analysis of our world. I can only thank you for writing and sharing your opinions and intelligence. Can you get a bigger bullhorn? -- C.H., Notre Dame, Indiana

DEAR B.S., R.S. AND C.H.: I deeply appreciate the support of the readers of my column, which some deride as my “woke” soapbox. As poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote in his "Duino Elegies," "... already the knowing animals are aware that we are not really at home in our interpreted world."

As a species on planet Earth, we are in crisis, and there is no time for despair. There are many correctives that can be initiated at all levels -- political, governmental, professional and personal -- which I detail in my upcoming book, “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives” (to be published this spring).

We can all ask ourselves what kind of life-path we are on, and whether it is the right one in the world as we see it. With our behavior, values and consumer choices, do we cause more harm than good toward others -- human and nonhuman -- and ultimately to ourselves? For whom and for what do we really care? We can all find ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy use in our personal and professional lives. Our capitalistic, consumer-driven society that has brought on climate change and accelerated the extinction of indigenous species and peoples around the world will ultimately consume itself.

On a planet of finite, dwindling resources, we must redefine progress away from "increasing the GDP" (Gross Domestic Product). The longer governments and corporations delay in addressing the serious consequences of climate change -- beginning already with extreme weather events destroying crops, leading to food insecurity and famine in many regions -- the more the poor will suffer.

Nutrition education and whole food preparation classes, in addition to humane and environmental education, should be in the curriculum of all schools around the world. This is one basic survival skill, among others, that all students should be learning as they face the crises of the Anthropocene age.

In 1992, Hopi elder Thomas Banyacya delivered a message at a United Nations gathering (at which I also had the privilege to speak). Part of his message states: “Today ... you see increasing floods, more damaging hurricanes, hailstorms, climate changes and earthquakes, as our prophesies said would come. Even animals and birds are warning us with strange changes in their behavior, such as the beaching of whales. Why do animals act like they know about the earth’s problems and most humans act like they know nothing?

"If we humans do not wake up to the warnings, the great purification will come to destroy this world just as the previous worlds were destroyed. ... If we return to spiritual harmony and live from our hearts, we can experience a paradise in this world."

(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: Greyhounds, like racehorses, are exploited for money-driven races around the world, too often kept under deplorable conditions and are abandoned or killed when they sustain racing injuries. Such injuries are often initially masked with drugs so the dogs can race until they collapse.

According to GREY2KUSA.org, on Dec. 9, the New Zealand government announced its plans to outlaw dog racing. Even more, legislation was immediately passed to safeguard nearly 2,500 racing greyhounds and guarantee their protection during a 20-month phase-out period. This wonderful moment was preceded by years of advocacy by concerned citizens and animal welfare organizations.

One such organization, GREY2K USA Worldwide, has an inspiring book that I urge readers to purchase. In the process, readers can help put an end to the unethical exploitation of these canid embodiments of grace, gentleness and speed. The book is “Brooklyn Goes Home: The Rise and Fall of American Greyhound Racing and the Dog That Inspired a Movement” by Christine A. Dorchak and Carey M. Theil, with a foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall.

SOME TRENDS IN U.S. COMPANION ANIMAL OWNERSHIP

Dog ownership in the U.S. has increased steadily since 1996, reaching 89.7 million dogs in 2024, while the cat population has remained stable overall, according to the AVMA’s 2024 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. Demand for veterinary services is likely to grow along with the pet population. (Full story: AVMA.org, Dec. 12)

DOG OWNERS’ AGE, LOCATION INFLUENCE FOOD CHOICES

According to a study in the Journal of the AVMA, most dogs are fed kibble, but for dogs fed other diets, dog owner demographics -- particularly age and geographic location -- significantly influence what foods owners choose to feed their canine companions. Older owners are more likely than younger ones to feed canned or home-cooked diets, while active dogs in rural areas often receive home-prepared raw or cooked meals. (Full story: Texas A&M University, Dec. 6)

The younger generations need to shape up and not make kibble their dogs’ only food source, unless it is of high quality like the formulations from Earth Animal by veterinarian Dr. Bob Goldstein. A good read about conventional, highly processed kibble is the book “Big Kibble: The Hidden Dangers of the Pet Food Industry and How To Do Better by Our Dogs” by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez.

STUDY RESETS TIMELINE ON HORSE DOMESTICATION

New archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that horses were domesticated around 2200 B.C.E. in the Black Sea steppes, which is much later than previously believed. The study highlights the rapid spread of horses across Eurasia once they were domesticated, and the significant role of Indigenous knowledge in understanding this history. (Full story: Scientific American, Nov. 19)

(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.)