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Artist Judith Hudson’s paintings, drawings and photographs tend to attract a wholesome crowd at the Parrish Museum in Water Mill and Guild Hall in East Hampton to her emotive, colorful vistas and often humorous representations of her family and friends. However, her new pet project—producing posters of sick dogs—carries a different sense of gravitas. Ms. Hudson said they are meant to draw animal lovers to an important cause.
The artist has teamed up with the Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit in East Hampton that advocates for toxin-free lawns, to create public service announcements to alert pet owners that landscaping chemicals are dangerous for their furry friends. Ms. Hudson said she is just thinking of her beloved dog, Lulu.
“Living in Amagansett, one feels close to nature, and it is impossible not to see the ravages of over cultivation and the effects on the ecosystem. The massive collateral damage to pollinators like bees and butterflies, flowers, birds, fish, pets and children especially, but all systems are affected,” Ms. Hudson said in a statement.
The common weed killer 2,4-D can be hazardous to dogs and cats. Canines exposed to the chemical are twice as likely to die of cancer, and the weed killer can also harm a cat’s liver, kidneys and digestive system, Perfect Earth Project’s Emily Hammond said.
“The chemicals can really persist and pervade,” Ms. Hammond said. “Even if you are not someone who uses chemicals on your lawn—so if your neighbor does and your dog runs into the yard. Or even if you were to take your dog to Amagansett Square when it’s gorgeous and people love to roll around in that grass. They use chemicals on that lawn. You know because you see all of the little yellow pesticide signs.”
The chemical is easily absorbed through an animal’s paws, nose and underbelly.
“As a human who is out and about and traipsing around in that environment, if you go walk onto a rug, [the chemicals] will persist in the rugs and in fabrics in your home for up to two years,” Ms. Hammond said. “So, your pet is not that much safer.”
The Perfect Pet Poster Campaign is now being crowdfunded through Goodcircle, which is an East Hampton digital marketing firm that creates a platform to connect businesses and nonprofits through fundraising goals. This campaign’s goal is to raise $11,450 to produce and distribute the posters. The PSA will be mailed to veterinarian offices, groomers, pet daycare centers and shelters nationwide once the project reaches its goal.
“When we do stuff like this we are extremely thorough, so they are going out in these eco-friendly mailing tubes, and this really great signage. It’s not going to be taken as junk mail,” Ms. Hammond said. “I think these offices are going to open it up and really see it and respond to it.”
Distribution is free-of-charge, and will be available locally from the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Perfect Earth Project and Marders garden shop and nursery. Carlie and Kathleen Marder, who are also backing the project, have said their business will continue its commitment to organic practices in lieu of the use of pesticides. Bulgin & Associates Construction is also a community partner.
As of May 17, the project has received more than $7,300. Anyone who donates at least $30 will be mailed a poster directly. The crowdfunding campaign is scheduled to end June 30. The larger distribution process will start immediately after that.
“It’s helpful to have this artist who knows how to be emotive and how to spread a message,” Ms. Hammond said. “It’s visually interesting and definitely invoking troubling emotions—fear, helplessness. So she was able to that really well.”
on May 17, 2018