Learn More About Poisoning During National Poison Prevention Week

Did you know every eight seconds someone calls a poison center? The U.S. Congress established National Poison Prevention Week in Sept. 1961. National Poison Prevention Week is recognized the third full week in March each year, designed to highlight the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. According to the Poison Prevention Week Council, each year more than 2 million poisonings are reported in the United States. About 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children younger than six years old. And, poisonings are one of the leading causes of death among adults. Call 1-800-222-1222 to get help from your poison control center, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Service is available throughout the entire U.S. and its territories. Learn more about how to prevent a poisoning from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has also established a 24-hour hotline to call if you believe your pet has ingested a potentially poisonous substance. Like our kids, our pets are vulnerable to everyday products (including foods) in our homes. Call 1-888-426-4435 to get help from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. (A consultation fee may be added to your credit card.) To find out what foods you should avoid feeding your pet, or what other hazards may affect them, visit the ASPCA website.