A Guide For Environmentally Conscious Pet Owners

If you have a beloved pet and love animals, chances are you’re at least a tiny bit environmentally conscious. We all want to leave the earth a little bit better than we found it, and certainly leave it in good shape for our children, our children’s children, and all the earth’s wonderful animals. It can be hard to be an ethical consumer as a human, let alone on behalf of your pet – but there are steps you can take to ensure you’re being as environmentally conscious as a pet owner as possible.

Buy Planet-Friendly Pet Food

If you have a pet that eats a plant-based diet, then this one only really applies to you in the packaging sense. If you’re buying fresh fruit or veggies for your pet, opt for the loose options instead of bagged or wrapped, and try researching and compiling your own seed mix with ingredients bought from a zero-waste shop.

For cats and dogs on meat-based diets, opt for foods with chicken or animal by-products such as bone meal or organs, as these have significantly less of an impact on the planet as other meats like beef. If you’re after fish-based foods, make sure it’s sourced sustainably, and always opt for recyclable cans over pouches if you can.

Watch Their Waste

If you pick up your dog’s poo in a plastic bag three times a day, that’s over a thousand bags going into landfill every year! If you live in the countryside, you might try taking out a little trowel with you on your walks in lieu of your poo bags, and burying the poo in a hole at least 15cm deep, ensuring it’s fully covered. If this isn’t for you, you could use compostable bags, or simply flush the poo!

You mustn’t, however, flush cat poo, as our human sewage systems aren’t equipped to deal with the bacteria found in cat faeces. Instead, be mindful of the litter you’re choosing for your cat. Go for natural materials like sawdust, shredded newspaper or even leaves. You can make your own, or buy eco-friendly options online.

Eco Dog Toys

Another easy way to remain eco-friendly while also providing your pet with all the love, food and play it needs is with eco-friendly toys. Besides making your own, being mindful about where the materials came from, and where they’ll end up, is the best way to make eco-friendly decisions regarding your pet’s playtime. Eco friendly dog toys from Wild Thought that are made from natural, responsibly sourced rubber and are biodegradable are best for both the planet and your pet.