I always heard that Febreze was dangerous to use around birds.

Here's what I found on this site: http://www.birdsandmore.com/healthWarnings.html

Whatever the cause, Birdbird's death was very tragic and I'm so very sorry for your loss. May she RIP.

FEBREZE

Email from Dr. Sue Chan, DVM, MPVM dated 12/6/99:

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the potential hazards of Febreze to birds. The manufacturer has made some modifications in their formulation in response to the controversy, but when I questioned the Proctor and Gamble consumer representative, they would not tell me what kind of testing had actually been done and refused to let me speak to a technical expert. The representative did say it was the FRAGRANCE, not the zinc that causes toxicity in birds.

I was told that the label has been changed to warn about use in birds, but the bottles I found on the shelf as recently as this week still do not reflect this change. I spoke at length with a Dr. Hansen from the ASPCA who told me that there may be a problem with birds and they are still collecting data---which mean that owners who have birds that die should send them the body (don't freeze it) so Dr. Branson Ritchie at the University of Georgia can do a necropsy. He did say there has been NO testing in birds to date. Thus, it is imperative that bird owners who have had birds die IMMEDIATELY call the ASPCA to find out what to do with the body.

If it is too late to do this, at least report their experiences to the ASPCA with as much detail as possible so there is a body of information on which to warrant further study if necessary. Please spread the word to other animal owners and people involved in the pet industry---veterinarians, pet shops, breeders, etc. It is important that as much information as possible is gathered so any potential danger to birds is adequately addressed as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Sue Chan, DVM, MPVM



An e-mail states: "A woman on the budgie list just lost all of her birds except one that seems to be pulling through after her husband sprayed Febreze on their sofa. She delineated the complete ordeal, even multiple calls to Procter and Gamble and her vet contacts. To ward off other disasters, the budgie list owner suggested that members get in contact with local media. (I don't see why P&G can't pull it off the shelves until they can slap a big sign on it of a bird with the international NO symbol superimposed.) If you have access to anyone who could help get the word out, please do!" Carol Woofers and Tweeters (active ingredient: Zinc Chloride--deadly to birds--confirmed by P&G employee)

2nd e-mail warning states: Hello All, I wanted to forward the following note which I got via the canary list to all of you. The new product for killing odors, Febreze, has been a big topic for some time amongst canary breeders because it kills birds. The company has been putting out disclaimers for months, but they have just entered our market in So. Calif. so we will begin to hear about it more here. In any case, it is bad for animals, children, birds, etc... Probably not wonderful for adults either since we do fall in the first category. So just a reminder to you and yours to keep it simple and just open those windows and clean those houses.

I recently heard about Febreze, there has been a warning note posted on the dogs' message board over at iVillage - apparently it can cause anything from allergic reactions to spasms to death in most animals and children, depending on the dosage they receive. I have been trying to find out if the chemical is related to whatever is in those 'baking soda carpet deodorizers' that is also so deadly to canaries - I know several people who have lost birds, even those in other rooms, after using it...



On the other side is a letter from the National Animal Poison Contol Center, but please read it carefully:

ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center
1717 S. Philo Road Suite 36
Urbana, IL 61802

Date: March 26, 1999
To: Whom It May Concern
Subject: Febreze™ Fabric Refresher

Recently there have been comments and discussions posted on the Internet suggesting that the use of Febreze™ Fabric Refresher in households is dangerous to animals. We have issued the following statement in order to help disseminate accurate information:

"Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center are conducting an on-going investigation into claims that use of Febreze™ in the home caused the death of several pets. All information reviewed to date suggests that there is no evidence that Febreze™ represents any risk to pets when used according to label instructions. Presently, the center considers the product safe to use in households with pets. As with any cleaning product, the center recommends that birds be removed from the room until the product application has dried and the area has been ventilated.

Please call 1-800-345-4735 if you have any questions or have a pet that you suspect is experiencing problems or visit us at http://www.napcc.aspca.org." Please photocopy this letter or download our statement from our web site and pass the correct information on to other friends of animals.

Sincerely, Steven R. Hansen, DVM, MS
Diplomate American Board of Veterinary Toxicology
Senior Vice President

You may also view another letter at their website listed above dated April 16th.


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