5 Pet Friendly Ways To Go Green

With Earth Day approaching again, it’s time to reconsider and revamp your green practices. As a proud pet parent, you may be wondering how you can get your furry friend involved in supporting the environment. 

In honor of Earth Day, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM, shares her best tips with us:

The Scoop on Poop- Use biodegradable bags when cleaning up after your dog. A regular plastic bag can take decades to decompose; whereas a biodegradable bag will begin to breakdown in just a couple of months. For cats, consider using an environmentally friendly litter such as one that is plant based or made from recycled newspaper.

Feeding Close to Nature- Dr. Carol is a major advocate of feeding your pet an organic, home-cooked meal. All natural meals benefit your pet’s health in exactly the same way that it benefits yours. The environment and your pet’s health will benefit from cutting out kibble all together. A homemade diet decreases personal cost, wasteful production of packaging materials and harmful chemical processing, while increasing your pet’s overall nutrition and the environment’s well-being.

Recycled Toys- There are now numerous companies that make pet toys and bedding from recycled materials and sustainable fibers. Also consider making homemade toys from old socks, water bottles, and ropes. You can make your own bedding from old pillows, blankets and towels.

Water Conservation- Instead of letting the water run during bath-time, consider purchasing a handheld attachment that you can turn off when not in use. This will reduce the amount of water being used. Using warm water, as opposed to hot, saves energy, and using phosphate/chemical-free grooming products can make the dirty water going down the drain more environmentally friendly.

 Spay and Neuter- Pet overpopulation is a major problem for the environment on numerous levels. Always consider adoption first. Because of pet overpopulation, resources are tremendously strained to care for all of the pets both inside and out of shelters (feeding, medical care, waste management, etc.) and to handle the alarming number of pets who must be euthanized on a daily basis.

 

Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM is an author and world-renowned integrative veterinarian of twenty plus years. The first veterinarian in the U.S. to be certified as a Diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine for humans, Dr. Carol has applied her knowledge in the field to pioneer the exploration of new therapies for the treatment and prevention of age-related degenerative disease as well as promotion of optimum health and performance for pets.