Air pollution leads to 80,000 vet visits per year
A new paper has analysed the 7million UK veterinary admissions each year, and found strong links to atmospheric pollution levels.
‘The Impact of Air Pollution on Petcare Utilization’ was written by Akshaya Jha at Carnegie Mellon University, and has found that high levels of air pollution lead to a significant increase in admissions of cat and dogs.
According to the report, if the United Kingdom was able to bring down the level of atmospheric pollution to meet recommendations set by the World Health Organization, it could save 80,000 vet visits annually.
This would result in a $19.5million reduction in pet care costs, although the true total of all economic benefits would be much higher. Among other things, the research is regarded as one of the few investigations into air pollution’s impact on pets, rather than humans.
In related news, Environment Journal‘s sister title, Air Quality News, has confirmed details for its annual Northern Air Quality Conference. Held at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Thursday 25th March 2025, the event will bring together scientists, air quality industry professionals, and public sector policymakers, among other delegates.
Professor Greg Marsden PhD, University of Leeds and Liz Godfrey of Mums for Lungs have already been confirmed as speakers. You can find full details here. Last month, the National Air Quality Conference took place in London – revisit the official report here.
Air pollution is believed to result in around 7million deaths each year globally. Nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides, ground level ozone, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide are all major contributors to health issues in both humans and animals.
More on waste & recycling:
Everything you need to know about the Northern Air Quality Conference
Global Methane Pledge gains traction with organic waste agreement at COP29
Image: Markus Winkler via Unsplash