DEAR READERS: A recent article by Brooks Johnson in the Star Tribune detailed how some Minnesota goat producers will be providing goats for local halal slaughter. Such meat from goats, and other animals who have been ritually slaughtered, is becoming more available across the United States, whereas currently, most halal meat is imported from Australia and New Zealand.

Not many people outside of the community of Islam, for which I have great respect, know anything about ritual halal slaughter. Even some practitioners of the faith may not know that the tradition of killing animals as humanely as possible has fallen behind today’s scientific knowledge of what this method of slaughter entails.

Ritual Islamic and Jewish slaughter involves severing animals’ tracheas (windpipes), jugular veins and carotid arteries. This does not render the animal immediately unconscious, because the arteries coursing up the vertebrae are not severed. The arteries continue to supply the brain with oxygen as the animal struggles to breathe, inhaling and exhaling blood through the severed trachea before eventually losing consciousness and bleeding out.

Furthermore, animals in the slaughter line become distressed, seeing and hearing the struggles and distress calls of those being restrained and killed. Ideally, they should be held in a separate area before being taken to the point of slaughter.

As a veterinarian, I do not accept the claims by practitioners of ritual Islamic and Jewish slaughter who insist that their killing methods are humane. Having witnessed both methods in several countries, I can attest to the contrary.

All of this suffering can be avoided by stunning the animal with electrocution or a captive-bolt pistol, rendering the animal immediately unconscious before its throat is cut. However, the practice of stunning is opposed by religious orthodoxies. The bold, pioneering Islamic thinker Al-Hafiz B.A. Masri, in his book ”Animals in Islam,” advocated for captive-bolt stunning. He wrote that the practice is not only permissible in Islam, but worthy of global adoption by all Muslims.

In 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that E.U. member states could require the stunning of land animals before slaughter, and that they did not have to allow exceptions for religious rites or any other reason. Countries where the stunning of land animals prior to slaughter is now required include Slovenia, Finland, Denmark and Sweden, as well as the Wallonia and Flanders regions of Belgium. (Full story: animalequality.org/news/eurpoean-union-states-stunning-animals-before-slaughter)

So long as we kill animals for food, we should at least afford them a humane death.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 8-year-old male Scottish fold cat has been peeing in different areas of the house for the past two years. He is an indoor cat, neutered, and lives with his brother. My vet told me he probably saw another cat through the window and is marking his territory.

I bought a pheromone spray, but it doesn’t have any effect. Is there anything else I could try? -- S.M., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR S.M.: Your veterinarian is probably correct, and this is a major reason why cat owners should not let their cats roam free and disturb neighbors’ indoor cats.

However, it is important to rule out cystitis, which could be stress-related and aggravated by a diet too high in carbohydrates. Canned or home-prepared cat food has helped many cats with urinary bladder issues.

Ask your veterinarian for a prescription of gabapentin to give your cat at the start of the day, and also give him 1 or 2 milligrams of melatonin at bedtime.

DEAR DR. FOX: You know I enjoy corresponding with you and love most of your ideas, but I practice TNR (trap, neuter, release) and can’t imagine putting them down instead. I’m telling you, I’ve never seen a dead bird in the industrial area where I feed cats. There are no birds!

Anyway, I just saw the story below on my local news, even though Tampa is far from West Palm Beach. -- G.B.C., West Palm Beach, Florida

Story: humanesocietytampa.org/adopt/working-cats/

DEAR G.B.C.: I have made it clear in my critique of TNR that the practice is acceptable only when the cats are essentially enclosed by physical barriers, as in fenced warehouses and other private property, and so long as they are provided shelter, cleaned litterboxes, vaccinations, food, water and veterinary care as needed. I question all “humane” societies that are giving cats out to serve as “working cats” to control rodents without the forementioned provisions -- not to mention the fact that few cats can kill adult rats and effectively control rat infestations. In too many situations, cats are instead killing indigenous wildlife and competing with native predators, which is unacceptable, and also unsafe for the cats.

(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: Once again, communities in several states, including my state of Minnesota, are encouraging people to let their lawns grow. This allows clover and dandelions to bloom and provide food for bees, butterflies and other pollinator insects. These insects, in turn, provide food for birds and other insectivores.

"No Mow May" signs are put up by property owners who register with municipal authorities to engage in this nature-friendly activity -- and avoid action by weed inspectors if neighbors complain. (See the April 24 Minnesota Star Tribune article "'No Mow May' adds inches to yards" by Nancy Ngo.)

This initiative also helps with carbon-sequestration, which combats climate change. It is a good first step that homeowners can take, perhaps leading them to transition to rain gardens and the "rewilding" of their properties. This would eliminate the need for chemical treatments and frequent watering. The health benefits to aquatic life -- including Florida's endangered and starving manatees -- from reduced fertilizer and pesticide runoff, are considerable.

As I wrote in the "Lawns Be Gone" article on my website (drfoxonehealth.com/post/lawns-be-gone), lawn chemicals also harm our dogs and can cause cancer in them and in us. Golf courses continue to be problematic and, along with the "perfect lawn," are an ecological, environmental and public health abomination.

DEAR DR. FOX: Thanks for the valuable information on your website; it's been so helpful. I have three rescue dogs and only use natural flea/tick prevention methods on them. However, we have just moved to Portugal, where there are many tick-borne diseases. Everyone is telling me I need to treat them with topical or oral meds.

Your articles state that toxic chemicals should be avoided unless you're in tropical or subtropical conditions -- Portugal is just above the subtropics, so I worry that it may be necessary here. My dogs also spend most of the day outside: The main reason we moved here from the U.K. was so they could have a large area of fenced land to be free in (they all react badly when around other dogs). We're spraying them with natural remedies, but they sometimes still come back with ticks.

Do you have any further advice on what we should do? Logic tells me I shouldn't be covering them in anything that I wouldn't put on myself, but I also fear they could contract something nasty.

Also, our vet has said we need to give them Milbemax as there is heartworm here, so we started this. Do you recommend a safer alternative? -- M.K., Portugal

DEAR M.K.: It would be wise to follow the advice of the local veterinarians familiar with the insect-borne diseases where you live. Milbemax will be of value in controlling several internal parasites: It delivers broad-spectrum protection for cats and dogs against common intestinal worms, including roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. When given monthly, it also prevents heartworm infection.

Ticks can be very problematic, since they can transmit diseases soon after they attach and before systemic (oral) and skin-applied insecticides can kill them. Dusting your dogs daily before they go out with human-grade diatomaceous earth will help keep fleas at bay. A spritz of lemon eucalyptus essential oil -- a few drops diluted in water -- should help repel ticks and mosquitoes.

It is reported that ticks are repelled by lemon, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint and rose geranium, so they'll avoid latching on to anything that smells of those essential oils. A cheap emergency measure is to simmer a sliced lemon in boiling water for 5 minutes, cool, crush and put the extract in a spray bottle. Spritz this on the dogs before going out, especially their legs, underbellies and ears. Rake your yard and get rid of all underbrush where sunlight-avoiding ticks will hide, and rake your dogs every evening with a flea comb to check for ticks. Visually inspect the ears and the spots between the toes.

HELPING THE ANIMALS IN UKRAINE

The AVMA's charitable arm, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, is sending more than $500,000 to organizations providing vital on-the-ground help to people and animals affected by the war in Ukraine. Individual donors and contributions from Doris Day Animal Foundation, Ethos Veterinary Health, Merck Animal Health, and People, Pets and Vets are helping buy food, provide veterinary care and protect animals and the people caring for them. (Full story: AVMA@Work blog, April 21)

Two Kharkiv zoo employees, who braved Russian attacks to feed starving animals, were killed by Russian soldiers, according to the zoo. The Feldman Ecopark employees, who were missing since March 7, were shot by Russian soldiers and left in a barricaded room, the zoo said in a statement. (Full story: CNN, April 21)

(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: More than 500 wolves have been killed recently in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, jeopardizing a long-term ecosystem research project in Yellowstone National Park. The project was "one of the best models for understanding the behaviors and dynamics of a wolf population unexploited by humans," said National Park Service wildlife biologist Doug Smith, who added that researchers are trying to salvage "what we have left of it." (Full story: Science, Jan. 31)

This is, unfortunately, not the only distressing news item about wolves of late. Back in February, a federal judge in California ordered the gray wolf back under the safeguards of the Endangered Species Act. Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is appealing this federal court ruling. The Biden administration's commitment to addressing biodiversity and conservation is clearly now in question.

Wolves are more than just another endangered species. They are sentient beings, like us, with families, social bonds, emotional intelligence and instinctual and learned survival skills. Having raised their cubs during my research into canid behavior, I have come to know and respect them, and I enjoy their trust and affection. But wolves do not make appropriate pets, nor do most wolf-dog hybrids, the breeding of which I advise against.

Those who do not see wolves as sacred, or at least as kindred spirits in many ways, must step out of the confines of anthropocentrism. Then we may save the wolves from extinction, along with our own humanity. Where there is collective existential ignorance, nature becomes our nemesis. Where there is respect for all life, nature becomes our apotheosis.

Until ranchers, hunters and others stop justifying their persecution of and endless war against wolves, perhaps we will always be at war with each other.

The end of objectifying and exploiting others, human or nonhuman, comes with the cultivation of empathy and compassion. These are the hallmarks of a civilized society and of a more evolved human species. Those who love to be in nature but also love to kill for sport pervert and demean the beauty and power of the natural world -- a world in which they could, if they chose, find infinitely greater satisfaction and fulfillment. A camera is a good substitute for hunting gear.

In protecting wolves and conserving their habitats, we rise to the challenge of responsible planetary stewardship. Where there is no sense of kinship with other beings, we can kill with equanimity. Encouraging a sense of kinship with all life should be an essential part of every child's education.

"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness" is the fitting inscription on the Christopher Award I was given for my children's book "The Wolf." I pray that the spirit of the wolves and the wild will light everyone's candle and illuminate our passion to protect, conserve and love without limits.

BAN WILDLIFE KILLING CONTESTS ON FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS

I encourage my readers to voice their support for H.R. 7398: the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act of 2022. Every year, bobcats, coyotes, foxes and other wildlife are targeted in cruel and senseless wildlife killing contests. Participants compete to kill the most animals for cash and prizes. Hundreds of animals may fall victim, and are typically discarded like trash after the prizes are awarded. For details, go to projectcoyote.org.

These targeted species, regarded as "varmints" by those who enjoy killing them and want to justify doing so, actually play a vital role in maintaining the health of their ecosystems. From the medical perspective of One Health, they therefore benefit humanity by helping control populations of rodents and other small animals that harbor diseases transmissible to humans.

DEAR DR. FOX: I was appalled and sickened after reading about the abusive breeding of flat-faced dogs. I never knew this practice existed. Would you please consider doing a companion piece on the humans who own these dogs? Here in Florida, many people showcase their companion dogs, usually the flat-faced or inbred miniature varieties, by taking them out in strollers -- after dressing them in bows and frilly collars -- so others can ooh and ahh over how cute they look. My husband and I turn away in disgust. -- A.M.K., Naples, Florida

DEAR A.M.K.: I know that many informed and caring readers will agree with you -- but those who breed, sell and own such genetically impaired dogs will take offense. Their claim to "love" these dogs is all very well, but love is just another four-letter word when it comes to their breed standards. These must be changed so that extreme deformities are eliminated.

These dogs often require delivery by cesarean section, followed by special veterinary attention throughout life, including corrective surgical procedures. Regrettable for all involved. I appreciate your concerns.

(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.)