Cutting your carbon paw print
Lily Barclay looks at how to turn your pet green
How green is your pet?
The recent surge in organic and environmental pet products means that having four legs is no longer an excuse not to be going green. Biodegradable doggy bags, recycled cat litter and natural pet formulas are just a few of the products out there.
So is this phenomenon just a crazy green scheme or can reducing your pets’ carbon paw print really benefit the environment? We take a look at a few eco-friendly products and practices to find out more.
The dog’s dinner
How much your dog will appreciate organic dog food is open to debate, but the animals that go in it will almost certainly feel the benefit. Natural and organic pet foods use meats that are raised in sustainable, humane ways, without added drugs or hormones, minimally processed and preserved naturally. So if you want to ensure that your dog’s dinner is humanely sourced, organic pet food could be for you.
For a list of a selection of natural dog food, visit D for Dog or try Pero Petfoods for organic cat and dog food.
Vegetarian pets?
Taking the argument against animal cruelty one step further, some vegetarians prefer their pets to abstain from eating meat too. This is a controversial choice, since dogs and cats may not receive all the nutrients they need to be healthy.
You can check out a range of vegetarian pet foods at Veggie Stuff. If you want a vegetarian pet rabbits, birds or goats may be a better choice as they are all natural vegetarians.
Cleaning up
Bag and bin it has long since been the golden rule of dealing with your
doggy mess, but what is the eco-friendly option? If you go out your way
to avoid plastic bags, make sure your pooch doesn’t let you down.
Canine cooling
Could dogs be the planet's best friend? Earlier this year, dog food
manufacturer Butcher's Pet Care conducted a survey of 1,500 dog and
non-dog owning families in the UK.
The results showed that dog owning families fly, consume and waste
less and are also more likely to buy local and recycle than pet-free
households.
Some of the findings may raise a few eyebrows – apparently, 24% of dog
owners consider themselves "very happy" compared to 19% of non-dog
owners. But the ties of a pet certainly seem to make a difference to
the average carbon footprint.
Not wanting to leave their pooch behind, dog owning families are
reportedly 20% less likely to fly than non-dog owning families. They
prefer to holiday in the UK or drive to Europe instead.
Biodegradable
bags made from corn starch are a simple and green alternative for your
pet, helping to reduce the amount of plastic you throw away. There are
several types available, including these ones by BioBags.
Eco-friendly
cat litters made from plant material or corn avoids the need for
clumping clay litter, which is bad for the planet because clay is
strip-mined. Unlike traditional cat litters these eco-options are 100
per cent biodegradable and are produced without causing any pollution
to the environment.
Green cat litter claims to be just as absorbent and odour reducing as conventional cat litter. The ‘world’s best cat litter’ can be flushed straight down the loo because it is made from organic whole-kernel corn. Check out UK Pets for more information on other brands available.
Recycled and recyclable accessories
Buying pet products made from recycled or sustainable materials is one way of helping to preserve the world’s natural resources. There are many different options out there, including hemp collars, sustainable scratching posts and non-toxic toys.
You could try an hemp dog or cat bed - these are covered with hemp and filled with fibre made from recycled plastic bottles. Considering that we throw away 15 million plastic bottles every day in the UK, you would be redirecting some of these away from landfill sites. Plus, products like this also increase the demand for using recycled plastic in an innovative way. You can buy them online from Eco Outlet.
Natural protection
Other ways to green your pet include avoiding tick and flea remedies that contain toxic chemicals, such as Dichlorvos organophosphate, diazinon carbaryl, propoxur or permethrin. These are all nerve toxins that not only are harmful to your pet but also to the wildlife around them, as well as settling in homes and gardens.
Plenty of alternative natural products exist – for example, Homeo Pet sells natural flea deterrent, which may be a good option for keeping your pet pest and poison free.
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