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Living green doesn’t just apply to humans. Pets can benefit from the same sustainable ethic. Here are eight simple ways to greener pet care:
1. Switch to a biodegradable cat litter. The clay in clay-based clumping litters is strip-mined, and it also doesn’t decompose quickly in the landfill. Clay litters also contain carcinogenic silica dust that can get into your cat’s lungs, and other ingredients that can be harmful to your cat’s internal organs.
2. Be diligent about scooping your dog’s poop. Put Fido’s waste into a biodegradable bag and dispose of it in a trash can. Dog waste left on lawns and in parks can contaminate streams and spread disease. And no one likes to step in it.
3. Buy, or make, healthier food for your pet. Commercial pet food often contains meat by-products that are deemed unfit for human consumption, from cows classified at the slaughterhouse as 4-D—dead, dying, diseased or down (disabled). Look for pet food made with natural or organic meats, raised in sustainable, humane ways, without pesticides, hormones, preservatives, antibiotics, or other additives. Natural pet foods are better for your pet’s health, which means fewer trips to the vet. Or, you can make your own pet food and treats.
4. Leash your dog, unless you’re exercising your dog at one of Portland’s designated off-leash dog parks. Unleashed dogs can destroy habitat, menace people and other pets, and harass and sometimes kill wildlife. Plus it’s harder to find and scoop the poop of an off-leash dog.
5. Keep kitty indoors. Domestic cats kill a staggering amount of birds every year, hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, according to the American Bird Conservancy. Plus, cats have an unfair advantage—not only are their numbers swelled because they are protected house pets, but they don’t have to kill prey in order to eat. If you need an added incentive to keep kitty in the house, know that indoor cats live on average more than twice as long as free-roaming felines.
6. Look for pet goods and toys made with sustainable or recycled materials. Examples include hemp rope toys and pet beds made from recycled plastic. You can find products like these in Portland at Green Dog Pet Supply.
7. Spay or neuter your pet. Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in the US, where an estimated 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day. According to the Humane Society, each year 6 to 8 million pets enter shelters. Shelters cannot accommodate all the homeless animals, and sadly, 3 to 4 million are euthanized annually. Neutered animals live longer, and contrary to myth, retain the same delightful personalities they were born with. And when you are looking for a new animal companion, think about adopting one from a shelter.
8. Use natural grooming products on your pets, including flea treatments, shampoos, conditioners and toothpaste. And don’t forget to reach for a natural, non-toxic cleaning product if your pet has an accident in the house.
You can shrink your own carbon footprint, and your pet’s carbon pawprint, by greening your pet’s care. As a bonus, you’ll have a happier, healthier animal companion.
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