My name is Tammy and I’m the conservation officer for Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust. I am also a big dog lover and have had the papillon (butterfly dog) breed in my life for over 30 years. Currently, I share my life with two lovely boys: Cerrig, who is nearly 12 years old, and Ziggy, who is seven. They have a combined weight of just five kilos!
Like all who work in the profession, being a conservationist isn’t just about the day job; we live and breathe it. So, it should go without saying that I do all I can to minimise the impacts my dogs have on the natural world.
One issue that’s often overlooked is the chemicals used on pets. Flea and tick treatments can contain chemicals so harmful to bees and other insects that they’re (mostly) banned from use on farmland but can still be found in pet treatments. I do not routinely treat my dogs with chemicals at all. Initially this decision was for my dogs’ welfare, but the more I have learnt about the impacts of these chemicals, the more I am glad that I don’t.
As well as using herbal preventatives on their fur and giving them garlic regularly, I take the evidence-based approach, manually checking Cerrig and Ziggy when they are groomed (on a white sheet, so I can see any flea dirt). I am fortunate to live in an area where ticks are less prevalent – the odd one is removed with a tick twister – but I have found in the past that chemical treatments don’t really prevent their attachment anyway. I also test their poo for worms and, as these tests have found none, they haven’t been wormed for years.