Millions of us own pets and absolutely love them as part of the family. The fact that the pet product business is worth billions of pounds per year shows that pet owners really care. But how many of these products and services are good for the environment? And are you doing the best you can as a pet owner to ensure that the way in which you care for your pet is not negatively impacting the world around us? Sometimes it isn’t even something we think could be connected to an eco-friendly way of living. Because we love our pets so much it sometimes gets missed on our list of things to do to improve the environment. If you are thinking of getting a pet and you don’t have one just yet, there are many things you can do from the start, before you even consider a Dog Harness, that will reduce the impact on the environment. And it’s never too late to start if any of these ideas can help you with your existing pet care regime.
Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash
Walking
Many of us use our vehicles far too often, and because it’s so convenient we even sometimes take short routes that we could walk, just to save time. But if you have a dog (or a cat that likes walks), you will find yourself out and about quite a lot more than usual. This means that you can incorporate a walk to the shop with your dogs exercise for the day. Many people find themselves picking up the lead and walking outside a lot more Easily then if they didn’t have a dog. This is great for the environment because we are getting the exercise that we need, and there is no need for a vehicle or any fossil fuels to be used while getting our exercise for the week. Not only is this great for the environment, but it’s a known fact that being outdoors and in nature can improve our overall well-being.
Poop
Let’s face it any pet we have is going to poop. And we are responsible for making sure that is cleaned up. So considering biodegradable poo bags, and cat litter that is possibly made out of degradable products such as wood shavings or corn is going to do much better things for the environment than the alternatives. You can even use recycled materials from around your home as litter for your pets. Many people use shredded paper for the hamsters as bedding as well.
There are plenty of people that buy litter that can be flushed down the toilet, and easily broken down as well. This makes cleaning up more manageable and reduces landfill significantly, and with tonnes of litter going to landfill every year, this is a quick win for the environment when you look into the facts. This is also a switch that doesn’t take a lot more effort other than buying a different product. Simple!
Recycle
Of course, recycling is up there as one of the most important ways to improve our environment. There are far too many plastic products and rubbish in places that they really shouldn’t be in the world. So if you have a cardboard box, then this could be used as an enrichment toy (supervised) for your pet dog or parrot, it could even be used for storage, or broken down for your guinea pig to chew through. Even toilet roll holders can be turned into great little interactive toys for any pets. Then once these products have been used, it’s quite simple to put them out with your recycling for the week. It’s our responsibility to make sure that materials aren’t going to landfill that otherwise may have.
Another great way of recycling is to take the old bedding that you no longer use, and make something cosy for your pets to use as a bed. There are tutorials online on how to create a cat bed from an old blanket, and even dogs don’t care what their bed looks like as long as it’s comfortable, so use anything that you have, to make sure you aren’t just buying products for the sake of it. Once you start you may find yourself creating all sorts of products from your offcuts, and this isn’t a bad idea, it not only take materials away from landfill but also making sure money isn’t spent unnecessarily. There are already plenty of products on the shelves for you to choose from, and you shouldn’t feel too bad about buying the odd thing, but if you can help it recycling items you already have at home is a responsible way to go.
Cleaning products
Without a doubt any pet that we have may not have perfect table manners, can’t spell their biscuits on the floor, dogs will bring wedding without a second thought and when they are having fun tearing up the latest toy, they usually quite happy throwing everything around. But when it comes to cleaning, you have to be very careful around pets. Some cleaning products can make a dog or a cat very sick. Therefore it’s best to look at natural alternatives and make sure that people know not to use many chemicals around your pets. This also means that fewer chemicals used in the home equal less environmental damage from these chemicals. Lots of pet owners choose to purchase a steam cleaner and use the steam as the way to disinfect their homes. Of course, this isn’t completely full proof, but it certainly does the trick, and again saves money and resources in the meantime.
Neutering
It goes without saying that preventing your pets from reproducing is not only kind but much more eco-friendly. Sometimes accidental litters happen, and there’s nothing that can be done about that. But if you spay or neuter your pet if they are likely to come into contact with other animals, then you have the best chance of keeping them healthy, and prevent there being many poor pets wasting away in shelters. This obviously reduces the effect on the environment due to the resources that are needed to keep these pets in shelters healthy and fed. Cats are quite good at keeping their population high if left to their own devices. So there are many charities in place that help neuter and pay for the care of these animals. But being a responsible pet owner is first and foremost important when considering your next pet.
Ultimately being a responsible pet owner all-round will increase the chances of you being an eco-friendly pet owner. Common sense prevails, and if you are purchasing low plastic and highly recyclable products, Reusing and reducing your waste, and getting outdoors whilst making responsible choices, then you’re going to be doing your bit for the environment. It is, of course, important that we all do our bit, and even a small change every day will add up to a big difference. Ultimately doing the right things by our pets is never a waste of time. And doing what’s right for the environment is certainly the way forward! Once everything is swamped, improved, and reduced right down, the only thing left to consider is what you are feeding your pets. There are certain methods and types of foods that are going to make a difference in the environment. Many people are choosing to feed the dogs road these days, and there is a good amount of scraps and waste products from butchers, for example, that will help fill your pets tummies, as well as reducing waste at the same time. So enjoy your pets, and know that if you are making small changes, this will help the environment in a big way.
*Collaborative post