Your Pet Can Protect Wildlife From the Oil Spill

If you're watching the news reports of the out-of-control oil spill creeping toward the Gulf Coast, you might be wondering what you can do. Some groups, like the Audubon Society, are organizing volunteer efforts to help oiled wildlife. And, of course, you could always make a donation to support the myriad organizations who will be working on the ground from now until well after the oil leak is plugged. However, not everyone can hop on a plane to ground zero, or has the cash to contribute in this economy. But if you've got a furry dog or cat, there's a way for you to help.

The nonprofit organization Matter of Trust is collecting fur — along with human hair, horse hair, wool, and other natural fibers — to sop up the oil. Thousands of pounds of hair and fur are being shipped to collection centers, where volunteers are stuffing the fibers into recycled nylons (also shipped from people around the world, including a donation from Hanes) to create hairbooms, or it's being sent off to a factory to be made into hairmats. The booms and mats will be used along beaches and marshes, taking advantage of the fibers' natural oil-absorbing properties.

When the oil reaches the shore, it will contaminate the beaches and get soaked up by the marshes, where it may be ingested by birds, fish, and other wildlife. The oil is also deadly when it coats the feathers of birds, or the fur of sea otters and other marine mammals. The tar-like substance hampers movement, interferes with natural insulation, and is toxic when they groom themselves. Once an animal is oiled, cleaning and rehabilitation takes an incredible amount of time, resources, and volunteer power. That's why your pet's fur is so important — the fur and feathers that aren't still attached to an animal get oiled, protecting the coats and plumage still being worn by wildlife.

The hairmat was invented by Alabama hair stylist Phil McCrory after seeing Alaskan otters covered in oil from the Exxon Valdez spill. When hairmats aren't saving wildlife, apparently they're also used by flower growers as a natural fertilizer. As a bonus, Matter of Trust is working to create green jobs through collection kiosks, hairmat production, and disposal, which includes detoxifying the used mats through a composting process.

There are hundreds of millions of gallons worth of oil spills in an average year, so even when there's not a disaster as big as Deepwater Horizon, Matter of Trust is still collecting fur and saving wildlife. But they're going to need a lot more fur this year, so get out your dog's brush. You can send in your pet's donation individually, or organize a collection with a local groomer. For more information on how to donate, check out Matter of Trust's website.

Who knew shedding season could be so useful?

Photo credit: anglerp1