[tanyuh]

{DISCLAIMER: Jeanie, the following opinion is not meant to cause any offense. I believe your main intent with the URL that you provided was in order to tell ralph about the dangers of HARTZ, but the bit about Febreze has ruffled my feathers...}

Y'know, I don't believe this about Febreze. According to the active ingredients list, it does NOT have zinc chloride in it. (I have a bottle sitting right next to me). If it did have zinc chloride, it would undoubtedly HAVE to be written on the bottle. This product is endorsed by the ASPCA (has their seal of approval) and if animals truely were dying because of it, the ASPCA would revoke their seal, I'm sure of it. As for HARTZ, yes, my vet has said they are horrible products - also the article cited in that link on HARTZ is much more credible than the article about Febreze, especially when it doesn't even contain zinc chloride.

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Okay, I just did a search about Febreze and zinc chloride. Lemme post some links and stuff. Everything I have found says that this was an email rumor started in 1998.

Is Febreze safe to use around dogs and cats?
Yes, Febreze is safe to use around pets, including cats and dogs. Febreze is also safe to use on fabrics that come into contact with pets, such as fabric bedding and carpets. Febreze, like any cleaning product, should not be sprayed directly on a pet.

(It does recommend to use it carefully around birds though.)

What are the ingredients in Febreze?
Febreze is a water-based product whose primary active ingredient is a modified starch derived from corn, specially designed to eliminate a wide range of odors. The product also contains small amounts of perfume. There is no zinc chloride in the current Febreze formula, including Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator.

These are from:
http://www.homemadesimple.com/febreze/pets.shtml

Here is another quote:

PRODUCT SAFETY - FEBREZE

For years there have been rumors circulating the Internet and elsewhere that Febreze, an odor remover distributed by Proctor and Gamble, is dangerous to pets. Hundreds of laboratory tests by multiple organizations have since proven Febreze safe to use around dogs and cats. The chain letter circulating the Internet states that Febreze uses zinc chloride, which is 'very dangerous' to animals. The truth is while zinc chloride can be toxic in large amounts, it comprised less than 1% of the formulation of the product and is not considered to be a hazard, contrary to allegations in the email warnings. In addition, the Febreze formula stopped including zinc chloride in early 1998.

It is from:
http://www.peafowl.org/febreze.htm

I have now read a bunch of "reports" that say it ISN'T safe but I'm convinced it is an email hoax. The only "evidence" that I have read about it being harmful comes from supposed pet owners and people claiming that Procter & Gamble and the ASPCA are lying when they say it is safe. This is how I feel about it:

The aura of a Big, Nasty Plot against us little folk lurked behind many of the 'Net rumors that I've seen. The more popular consumer product health scares ("Toxic Tampons," "Sodium Laureth Sulfate," "Zinc chloride in fabric cleaners [i.e: Frebreze],") justify themselves, and a lack of corroborating information in the mainstream news, by way of asserting -- without any proof, mind you -- that there is a big, all-powerful conspiracy to hide the truth. Why aren't there any news stories? Well, Big Media is in cahoots with Big Business and Big Government, of course.

(The end statement is sarcasm, I hope it comes across properly..)

Y'know, I probably got this email in 1998 when it was circulating but I hit the trash button like I do with every other junk email I get. I am not one to trust big business. In fact, I am known to loathe it. But I do not believe that P&G has the ASPCA in its back pocket on this one.

P.S. That squirrely little smiley man appeared out of thin air when I previewed my message. I merely typed 3 asterix in a row and it revealed itself to me. I am not one to use smiley's but I'm gonna leave that funky little dancy man in my message just for fun.