Checklist for the Eco-Concerned Pet Owner
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david
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There are a lot of facets of being a pet owner that have an impact on the environment. If we’re concerned about increasing the eco-friendly character of our households, minimizing the environmental impact of pet ownership can make a big contribution. Here’s a checklist of eco-friendly steps you can take to make your pet ownership more eco-friendly.
- Buy organic or natural pet food. It’s better for your pet and relies on more ecological methods of producing the food.
- Buy food in bulk—or make your own treats, to cut down on packaging waste.
- Avoid beef if possible in your meat selection. Raising beef cattle is far more energy intensive than raising most other animals, for instance, chickens or pigs.
- For cat waste, find out the disposal guidelines in your community. Some places have treatment plants set up to handle the wates and others don’t.
- For dog poop, use compostable bags. These are much more eco-friendly than the black plastic alternatives.
- While we’re on the subject of waste, a pet owner’s choice of litter can make a big difference too. Try to avoid clay-based litters, since they break down less well in the environment.
- Your pet’s toys are another area where you can reduce your environmental impact. Try to find ones that are made from sustainable materials.
- Better yet, make your own. There are lots of fancy toys out there. My partner and I have invested in some very promising and expensive electronic cat toys. I liked them very much (especially the snake that kept wiggling forward and then changing direction!) but what our cat liked best was when my partner attached a tiny bell (from a broken cat toy) to a ribbon she had and shook it. Lots of eco-friendly possibilities from using your own imagination!
- Leashes are also more eco-friendly when they are made of natural materials like leather.
- And so are pet beds. These often are made with synthetic, chemically-treated materials. It isn’t hard to come up with a way to make your own.
- When you’re done with a cat toy, leash, bed, or other useful item, if there’s still some life in it, pass it on. Donate it to an animal shelter.
- Products: any grooming products, flea repellent, and the like, go natural.
- Medicines: use supplements. These are naturally produced and also tend to be gentler.
- Spay or neuter your pet. The problem of cat and dog overpopulation is a significant one in our country. This is very hard on those animals that end up in shelters and must be euthanized. It is also a strain on the environment in other ways.
- If you are a dog owner, one thing you might not think much about is your dog’s impact on local plant life through racing around in wooded areas. This can be a particular problem for flora that line waterways if your dog likes to run into and out of the water a lot. A good thing to be mindful of.
- For cats, it’s highly recommended to keep your cat indoors. It’s a hard thing to do. Our cat lets us know he wants to go outside all through the day. But it’s not a good idea. That big old outdoors isn’t very safe for most cats—cars, loud noises, fights with other cats. But the biggest issue is how much of an impact cats have on the bird population. This is a real problem.
There’s the checklist. I tried to make it pretty complete so it might seem daunting. But even if you just do a few of these items, it will make a worthwhile contribution and add to the eco-friendly character of your home!
Take a look at these other checklists for other takes on the project:
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-be-eco-friendly-pet-owner
https://www.greenfamilyguide.com/home-garden/eco-friendly-pet-care-checklist-green-pet-pdf/
