Campaign encourages New York residents to become tobacco-free for their pets

New York State Quitline invites residents to post pet photos for prizes & raise awareness of secondhand, thirdhand smoke & vaping risks

New York State Quitline press release

Pets love their human companions unconditionally. If pets could speak, they might say, “We love when the air around us is clean. Thank you for keeping us healthy and not smoking or vaping around us.”

Now through Oct. 31, the New York State Quitline encourages residents to become or stay tobacco-free for their pets. Through a new “Quit for Your Pet” campaign, participants can share pet photos with tobacco-free messages at www.nysmokefree.com/pets for a chance to win a $500 or $250 gift card toward pet products and supplies.

People who use commercial tobacco products may not realize the potential harms to their pets. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cites numerous harms to a variety of pets such as dogs, cats, bird, guinea pigs and fish. Secondhand smoke and vapor increase the risk of cancer and respiratory problems. Ingested commercial tobacco products such as cigarette butts or nicotine pouches can cause poisoning. Thirdhand smoke residue on carpets and furniture can transfer to pets’ fur or feathers.

“Pets are part of the family, and many people are motivated to quit tobacco to protect the ones they love,” said Dr. Andrew Hyland, director of the NYS Quitline and senior vice president of population sciences at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo. “This campaign makes it fun and meaningful to take that step.”

Visitors to the website for the “Quit for Your Pet” campaign can post to an embedded service called Kudoboard. Posts may be pictures of their pets, or they may select a creative GIF. The NYS Quitline encourages creativity and messaging promoting tobacco-free lifestyles for the sake of pets. Participants can be those who have quit for their pets, those who remain tobacco-free for their pets and those who pledge to make a quit-attempt for their pets.

The final day of the campaign will be Saturday, Oct. 31. The NYS Quitline will convene a panel of judges to award a $500 gift card for a highly creative post with a powerful message and a $250 gift card for a post with high engagement. More details are available online.

At nysmokefree.com/pets, the NYS Quitline reminds visitors to contact a quit coach for support, including free coaching and free nicotine replacement therapy medications. The NYS Quitline also encourages visitors to visit the print materials page and order free “Quit for Your Pet” cards. Finally, the site also includes materials to promote the campaign to others, including a flyer, newsletter copy, public service announcements and social media graphics.

Anyone seeking assistance to become tobacco-free may contact the NYS Quitline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). They can reach a specialist through an online chat or request a call-back by visiting nysmokefree.com. Adults 18 years or older can also order free NRT medications online. The NYS Quitline additionally offers free text-support programs by visiting www.DropTheVape.org and by texting QUITNOW (English) or DÉJELO YA NY (Spanish) to 333888.

Pets offer endless love but cannot speak for themselves. Providing a tobacco-free environment protects their health and yours. The NYS Quitline remains available seven days a week to help those on a tobacco-free journey to protect their loved ones – including pets.

The New York State Quitline is a service supported by the New York State Department of Health and based at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo. It is one of the first and busiest state quitlines in the nation and has responded to more than 3 million calls since it began operating in 2000. The NYS Quitline encourages those who use commercial tobacco and electronic/vape products to talk with their healthcare professionals and access available Medicaid or health insurance benefits for medication support.