Impact of Poor Air Quality on Animal Care

Mike Russell, the co-owner of J&M Dog Walking, monitors the weather routinely before work. Weather conditions influence how long his clients’ dogs spend outdoors. When he learned about the poor air quality advisory on Thursday morning, he was unsure of what to expect. He advised walkers to limit outdoor time with dogs and spend more time indoors instead. Russell quickly noticed a significant issue with pollution as many of his North Side clients began canceling walks to protect their pets from the polluted air, or because they chose not to go to work themselves.

Russell, 43, was particularly concerned when the media compared breathing the current air to smoking multiple cigarettes. “Like, a dog has never smoked a cigarette,” he remarked. Experts agree that this week’s hazardous air quality affects not only humans but animals too. Fine particles, or PM2.5, mainly from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada, were the primary cause of the elevated air quality issues. Animal caretakers were prompted to closely monitor their charges due to these particles, which can be harmful or even deadly. PM2.5 might initially cause a burning sensation in the eyes and nose and can settle deep in the lungs, eventually entering the bloodstream.

In Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, Shravan Raghuram from J&M Dog Walking wore a face mask as he took Roo out for a walk on July 17, 2026, to mitigate the effects of wildfire smoke. Meanwhile, at Lincoln Park Zoo, Dave Bernier, the general curator, stated that zoo employees watch for signs like labored breathing, changes in activity, or reduced movement among animals to see if they are uncomfortable. “It’s probably similar to recommendations for people,” he said. On Thursday, despite poor air quality, no zoo animals were restricted from outdoor access as, according to Bernier, keeping them solely indoors could cause more stress. Instead, changes were made to the animals’ eating habits. Staffers typically make feeding more challenging to simulate foraging, but on Thursday, feeding was simplified to minimize strenuous activity. For some animals like great apes, more food was scattered indoors to reduce outdoor time.

Bernier emphasized that pet owners should observe their animals closely at home. “It might be subtle, so you may have to watch them a little closer,” he advised, ensuring that breathing or panting isn’t excessive and activity levels remain normal.

On Thursday, the PM2.5 levels in Cook County quadrupled the previous air quality record, based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. AirNow reported that Thursday and Friday’s levels indicated “emergency conditions where everyone is more likely to be affected.” Conditions improved slightly by Friday, but the National Weather Service extended an air quality alert through Saturday night.

This persistent air pollution has posed challenges for some caretakers. Jana Kinsman, 40, a beekeeper at Back of the Yards, said pollution impacts her ability to bring products to market. Due to smoke and heat, she can’t manage her hives effectively. “They are managed colonies, and they need care from humans for them to do best,” she explained, highlighting concerns about health risks from working outside.

Kinsman worries about the stress bees face from smoke and particulates. “I just wonder how efficiently they’re operating under such major environmental pressure,” she added. Jessica Helgen, program director of the University of Minnesota Bee Squad, stated that while bees can survive smoky conditions, long-term impacts from air pollution remain unclear. She also distinguished the differing needs between honeybees, considered “managed livestock animals,” and native bees. “If honeybees struggle in an area, beekeepers can relocate them,” Helgen noted. Unlike honeybees, native bees lack that same protection. Despite the wildfire smoke in Minnesota, bees still continue to forage.