DEAR READERS: This posting from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), authored with D. Lee Miller of Duke Law School’s Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, and Gregory Muren, is an important message for all:

“Corporate livestock facilities, known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), can threaten the health of communities and pollute our air and water.

“Manure from CAFOs contains more than 150 pathogens that have the potential to contaminate water supplies, while fumes and particulate matter elevate rates of asthma, lung disease and bronchitis among farm workers and people living nearby.

“Nitrates from animal manure poison drinking water sources and contribute to epic dead zones in sensitive aquatic habitats. To confine large numbers of animals in close proximity, many companies compensate for filthy conditions by using routine antibiotic regimens, and this, in turn, fuels the global crisis of antibiotic resistance.

“CAFOs are theoretically regulated by the EPA, under the Clean Water Act. However, a decade of NRDC research reveals that the EPA has left these health threats largely unmonitored. In fact, the EPA lacks basic information about most CAFOs, including their location, how many animals they confine, how much waste they produce and how they dispose of that waste. The NRDC is encouraging states to step into the federal gap, using an NRDC-designed permit to monitor and regulate CAFOs that endanger the health of their citizens and environment.”

This statement doesn’t mention the inherent animal cruelty and suffering of these animal-production systems. On that basis, as well as those enumerated above, we consumers must go beyond this proposed better regulation and monitoring by adopting more plant-based food sources for the good of all -- including our sickening planet. When it comes to cruel animal exploitation, an abolitionist position is appropriate, and preferable to a reformist one. Political expedience should not override fundamental bioethics, as per my book “Bringing Life to Ethics: Global Bioethics for a Humane Society.”

DEAR DR. FOX: I would like to know what the difference is between feral cats and pythons. They are both invasive species to North America and both decimating wildlife, yet are handled much differently.

We TNVR (trap/neuter/vaccinate/return) cats and put them right back out there to keep hunting and diminishing bird and small-mammal populations. Pythons, on the other hand, are caught and euthanized. I am in no way a cat hater, as I have five indoor rescues and 12 outdoor felines (that the people next door just left when their house was foreclosed upon). We feed them heavily, wet and dry, as to help keep them from hunting. They are all fixed and very docile.

The idea of just putting felines back where they were after fixing and tipping their ears -- what is the difference? -- M.H., Lake Worth, Florida

DEAR M.H.: Some people may ridicule you for comparing cats and pythons, but it is only human sentimentality and bad press that makes euthanizing one invasive species, and not the other, acceptable. I have spelled out my opinion concerning local animal shelters and so-called “humane” societies releasing cats considered unadoptable to fend for themselves, and accepting that they will kill wildlife, on my website (drfoxonehelath.com). This is also cruel to cats and is a public health issue. No cats should be allowed to roam free. We do not allow dogs to do so.

I am also opposed to people keeping any kind of nondomesticated “exotic” animal, especially reptiles and amphibians. The accidental escape or deliberate release of these animals has resulted in the spread of diseases that are decimating indigenous species across Europe and probably also in the U.S.

AUSTRALIA STEPPING UP ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS

Dog owners could be fined up to $2,700 (AU $4,000) if they don’t walk their pets at least once a day under new legislation recognizing animals as sentient beings in the Australian Capital Territory. The territory is the first jurisdiction in Australia to recognize animal sentience.

The Animal Welfare Legislation Amendment Bill imposes a range of strict penalties in a bid to improve animal welfare. Owners can face heavy on-the-spot fines if they fail to provide basics like shelter, food and water. People who confine dogs for 24 hours must also allow them to move freely for the next two hours, or face prosecution.

There are no such laws yet in the U.S., and I feel sorry for the many dogs who are confined all day, rarely getting out or having any social contact with their own species. What is notable about this legislation is that animals are recognized as sentient beings -- a recognition that various animal industries, especially livestock, hunting and trapping, see as a threat to the status quo of animal exploitation.

(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: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is filing suit against the Environmental Protection Agency over its continued approval of flea collars and powders. These products can put children, in particular, at risk from their highly toxic chemicals, as well as other animals in the home.

For details on the suit, visit nrdc.org/fleaproducts. The NRDC is also challenging the EPA over its continued approval of the herbicide Roundup, whose main ingredient, glyphosate, is linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

When governments fail to protect citizens, other animals and the environment, personal responsibility is called for in the name of Earth justice and respect for all life.

DEAR DR. FOX: In your article about the benefits of children being in contact with livestock, you mention animals at petting zoos in state fairs.

I would like to point out that, at a lot of those fairs, there are livestock animals in exhibits that are privately owned. I would like to remind readers that these animals are not part of the petting zoo, and should not be touched without permission from the owner. They are there as show animals and may not be accustomed to strange people touching them.

I speak from experience. I have a horse that I take to the local fair, and I usually have to hang a sign on her stall telling people not to touch her. We take our animals there because it’s fun for us, and we want to share their beauty with everyone else. The majority of people passing by respect the sign, but there are some who don’t. My horse, when spooked, will slam herself against the stall door. If someone has their arm in between the bars to pet her, they could end up with a broken arm.

When visiting fairs, please obey the “Don’t Pet” signs, and always ask permission to pet an animal. -- S.A., Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania

DEAR S.A.: I would never leave any animal in an enclosed space without a person present when at a state fair, or any other outdoor event with large crowds, unpredictable adults, rowdy teens and curious children with inattentive parents. I adhere to the general rule of protecting animals wherever there are people, rather than the reverse!

I firmly believe that some animal exhibits should be prohibited for humane and public health reasons. Sows, for instance, would normally build a nest in a quiet spot before giving birth, but at state fairs, they are in pens surrounded by a gawking -- and sometimes screaming -- public. And that is after enduring transportation over long distances in late pregnancy.

Just this summer, public health authorities traced a strain of E. coli 0157, which can sometimes be fatal to humans, to exposure to pigs at the Minnesota State Fair’s Miracle of Birth exhibit. (Minnesota Star Tribune, 9/18) Handwashing and footwear-cleaning stations will not suffice. Time to stop this exhibitionism of what, in my opinion, is unacceptable animal mistreatment.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 7-year-old Westie. When she was around 5, we discovered that eating turkey or chicken (whether freshly cooked or in packaged dog food) would make her sick. She would throw up, not eat or drink for several days and be very listless. Finally understanding the cause, I researched dog food labels and settled on a poultry-free, beef-based food from Whole Earth.

All was well for a couple of years, but then the same condition reared its ugly head. When nothing showed up from tests at the vet, I tried changing her food on a suspicion that the latest bag may have been contaminated with poultry. Almost immediately, she was better. Afraid it might happen again, I searched for a new food and settled on Zignature.

Once again, all was well, until I read one of your articles about dog food. I was shocked to see Zignature was second-highest on the list of cases tying it to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Will you please recommend some good dog foods that do not have poultry? We are running out of options.

Also, she has trouble from time to time with impacted anal glands. A friend has suggested giving her canned pumpkin for this issue. What is your opinion? -- T.W., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR T.W.: Sorry to hear about your little dog’s issues.

Food allergies and intolerances can cross over from one kind of meat to another, so many holistic vets suggest a “rotation” diet, changing the kind of animal protein in the food every five to seven days. This can mean rotating among fish, eggs, cottage cheese, lamb, mutton, duck, high-protein pulses (lentils, chickpeas or butter beans, containing 250 mg taurine per serving). Your dog may need digestive enzymes, such as a tablespoon of papaya or crushed pineapple at each meal.

Try my home-prepared recipe, since many manufactured pet foods can contain animal proteins other than the main one or two indicated on the label, which is problematic for many dogs -- and for veterinarians trying to determine which ingredients may be causing problems.

Anal gland problems can be a sign of food intolerance/allergy, as can lack of exercise and too little fiber in the diet. Two tablespoons of canned pumpkin, oatmeal porridge or crushed white beans once daily can help.

(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: While much of the public discussions about the climate crisis have focused on the future of humanity, there is rarely a mention of the plight of animals, and the biodiversity intertwined with our own well-being.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is mounting a lawsuit designed to compel federal action against climate change: Animal Legal Defense Fund v. United States of America.

In New Jersey, the average temperature has already risen 2 degrees Celsius -- viewed as a critical threshold of climate change. As a result, blue-green algal blooms, potentially deadly to people and animals (particularly dogs), are plaguing the state. Similar blooms are happening in lakes throughout the country, and are linked to warming temperatures. Florida’s red tides have killed hundreds of manatees. On the West Coast, an exponentially high number of dead marine animals have been washing ashore, including gray whales and sea lions. Many are also dying from starvation.

For decades, the federal government has aided and incentivized greenhouse gas-producing industries like animal agriculture, logging and fossil fuel extraction. In addition to direct subsidies, the federal and state governments have exempted these industries from environmental protection laws regulating greenhouse gas emissions, water use and air quality.

This lawsuit, rooted in our Constitutional right to liberty, “would confirm that preserving wilderness should be the baseline for environmental protection,” said ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. For more details, visit aldf.org/about-us/contact-us. Or mail a letter to: Animal Legal Defense Fund, 525 East Cotati Avenue, Cotati, CA 94931.

DEAR DR. FOX: I rescued my kitten from the freeway two years ago. According to my vet, she was only 4 weeks old at the time. She is the strangest cat I have ever had.

She eats everything in sight, except for food -- no people food, and not much canned cat food. She has eaten holes in my underwear, nightgown, socks, sweatshirts, bedspread, toilet paper, regular paper and cardboard. She has never seemed to have problems defecating, although it is dry. I have bought some feline vitamins; the directions say to give two, but I only give her one, and she gobbles it right up.

She follows me everywhere, so I know she loves me, but she is not an affectionate cat. When I try to pick her up, she growls and hisses. If I am lucky, I can pet her for about two minutes.

Most people would give up on her, but I care about her very much. Can you help me figure this out? My vet has never heard of a cat eating “things.” -- J.J., Central Point, Oregon

DEAR J.J.: Good for you for rescuing this little soul.

Her early food/nutrition deprivation could have triggered this compulsion to chew and swallow various materials, a condition called pica. She finds comfort in this activity, along with feeling full; the drive to experience satiety can have an addictive element.

It is important to keep all materials that could lead to intestinal blockage well out of her reach, as well as potentially toxic plastics. An abdominal radiograph or sonogram may reveal material accumulated in her stomach, which could call for surgical removal since it could disrupt normal food intake and digestion. Cats with large accumulations of fur balls in the stomach (often a result of excessive grooming) may also engage in pica and be malnourished as a consequence. Chronic gastric and intestinal irritation can lead to pica, possibly in an attempt to relieve the abdominal discomfort.

I would transition her onto my home-prepared cat food (see recipe at drfoxonehealth.com) and feed her 6-8 heaped teaspoons daily. If she refuses this food (cats can be finicky), give her a good-quality canned cat food, along with freeze-dried cat foods from The Honest Kitchen and Stella and Chewy’s. Most cats do best on several small meals daily; think of mouse-sized portions. Weigh her initially, and then every three to four weeks. Over time, you can increase or decrease the amount of each serving to maintain her optimal weight.

(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.)