I had read several stories about using hair to soak up the Gulf coast oil, but had not seen many dog groups put forth any effort. I mean face it, I know most of us have dog hair in our house this summer. With these spells of unbelievable heat - how could we not have shedding dogs!
Now through August 9th, the SPCA is holding a Pet Hair Drive (Dog Hair Days of Summer) to collect clean pet hair clippings to ship to the Gulf of Mexico where they will be made into absorbent oil collection booms to remove oil from the water and shore.
The SPCA has partnered with Matter of Trust, a San Francisco based non-profit that has been helping clean up oils spills since 1998 with effective and environmentally-friendly hair booms. Although BP is not currently using the hair booms, Gulf municipalities and harbors are using the donated natural fiber booms to protect their shores wherever they can. In addition, the hair booms are used to blot the oil from the delicate turtle nesting areas and are less disruptive than raking to remove tar balls.
“There is an overwhelming sense of being helpless in the face of this ongoing environmental disaster,” said Mondy Lamb, SPCA spokeswoman. “Donating pet hair to help collect oil and thereby protect the environment and sea life is one small thing that each pet owner can do to make a difference.”
Well, the Raleigh SPCA is now taking collections!
How to Donate Pet Hair:
1) Be sure your pet's hair is DRY, clean and free of debris.
2) Take a brush and comb through your pet's coat.
3) Collect the hair in plastic bags. Please be sure the hair collected is free of twigs,
dirt or knots. 4) Once you're finished combing your pet/s bring the plastic bags full of hair
to the SPCA Adoption Center (collection open only during business hours).
5) There will be boxes set up on the SPCA's
Adoption Center lobby. Place the bag/s of hair in the marked boxes!
6) At the end of the collection period, the SPCA will ship the hair to the designated
Matter of Trust location.
dirt or knots. 4) Once you're finished combing your pet/s bring the plastic bags full of hair
to the SPCA Adoption Center (collection open only during business hours).
5) There will be boxes set up on the SPCA's
Adoption Center lobby. Place the bag/s of hair in the marked boxes!
6) At the end of the collection period, the SPCA will ship the hair to the designated
Matter of Trust location.
