Keep your pets and family healthier by smoking outside

Protecting our families and pets from second-hand smoke

We want to give our family the best and healthiest lives we
can, and this includes our pets.

Second-hand smoke is when we breathe in tobacco smoke
from other people’s cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. We may
be aware of the risks of smoking for people, especially
children, but did you know that it is actually damaging to our
pets’ health as well?

Having a smoke-free home and car will protect our families,
pets and others in our household.

Watch BSL video version.

David Gardner-Roberts MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon, ARMAC Vets:

“Smoking tobacco is harmful to pets, in the same way, it’s harmful to other people in our home. Although the smoke we see disappears quickly, the particles are so small that 85% of them are invisible and odourless.

“The levels of invisible but harmful toxins in the air can be high up to five hours afterwards and pose a threat to pets of all kinds including dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and even fish.

“Encouraging a smoke-free environment for children, families and pets can help protect them from inhaling the same toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke. There is no safe level of second-hand smoke.”

Small steps we can take to reduce harm from exposure to second-hand smoke:

• Smoking outside won’t completely protect our pets – because some of the smoke settles on our clothes and is released back into the air when back inside – but it will reduce the risk.
• Don’t leave cigarette butts or ashtrays in easy access of pets.
• Wash your hands after smoking.
• Consider Nicotine Replacement Therapy such as gum, patches or lozenges but keep away from pets.
• Regularly clean and steam carpets to reduce the toxic particles at home.

We can reduce the amount of smoke our family and pets are exposed to by following the above steps, but quitting
smoking is the best option for our pet’s health and wellbeing.

Quit Your Way

NHS Lanarkshire’s free stop smoking support service, Quit Your Way, can be contacted Monday – Friday from 9am until 5pm.

For more information, call 0800 84 84 84 or visit NHS Inform’s Quit Your Way website.

You can now use our ‘Click to be Contacted’ service, select your local or nearest area, leave your name, preferred contact method, and we will in touch with you.

You can also visit your local Community Pharmacy for free stop smoking support. Find your nearest community pharmacy.