Being an eco-warrior doesn’t just stop with our family and our home. It also means we need to look after our pets more thoughtfully too. How can we make sure that our beloved animals are cared for with the utmost respect and care, but in a safe and sustainable way? It’s easy when you consider these eco-friendly pet ownership hints and tips.
- Adopt, don’t shop
If you’re looking for a family pet, then it makes sense to adopt from a shelter rather than buying from a store or a breeder. This only creates a bigger demand for more breeding of animals and is not as eco-conscious. There are, at any one time, in the USA alone roughly eight million dogs and cats in shelters. Unfortunately, almost three million of those end up euthanized. Visit a local shelter and see if there is a dog, cat, or rabbit there that you can adopt.
- Responsible spaying and neutering
Overpopulation of dogs and cats can be an issue; therefore, it makes sense to have them spayed or neutered to prevent any further problems. Feral cats are actually listed on the Invasive Species Specialist Group’s list as being one of the worst species on earth for causing death to other animals. In fact, it is believed that they are responsible for over one billion animal deaths every single year. Make sure when you have your animal neutered that you go to a friendly and professional veterinary surgery such as heartandpaw.com, who will take the time and care to explain the procedure to you and ensure your animal is well cared for and safe at all times.
- Eco-friendly care products
We’re all becoming more aware of the need to use more sustainable and eco-friendly products in our homes, and we should do the same for our pets too. For dog owners, there are many eco-friendly care and grooming products on the market now, which used responsibly sourced ingredients in them that are kinder to the environment.
With cats, think about buying kitty litter that is made from recycled goods or biodegradable materials that cause little detriment to the ecosystem.
- Make your own sustainable pet treats and food
Make your own pet treats and look into buying sustainable food from companies who have strong ethics and offer recycling services for their containers, which will keep costs lower and also help reduce waste.
If you have a garden and an inquisitive cat, one of the easiest things to grow and maintain is catnip!
- Dispose of pet waste thoughtfully
Waste from our pets can be hazardous and people who do not clean up after their pets are responsible for creating a huge problem with pollution, not to mention issues surrounding hygiene in public spaces. There are eco-friendly poop scoops and bags available to buy, so invest in some of those to follow round with after Fido.
Use your pets’ waste as an ingredient for compost; there are lots of guides and tutorials for making use of it in this way. However, it’s important to remember that dogs and cats waste should not ever be used on plants or homegrown vegetables and fruit that are meant for human consumption.
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