5 Tips for Sustainable Pet Care

By Hayley Hughes

Living green is essential to a sustainable world, but sometimes we are so concerned with the people around us, we forget about our furry little friends at our side. Green pet care is an important piece to sustainable living, and with the amount of sustainable products available to us today, it’s easy to get our pets to join the green revolution. Here are 5 ways to extend your green lifestyle to the animal world.

1)      Always Adopt

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, between 5 and 7 million pets are put in homeless shelters every year, and 60 percent of those are euthanized. All animals deserve a home, and it’s important we find homes for the ones already here before we support breeders who continue to breed large quantities of animals for profit.

2)      Buy organic pet food

Conventional pet foods are filled with highly-processed, low-quality meat that according to the FDA is inedible to humans, so why are we feeding it to our pets?  Organic food is made with high-quality meat from animals raised in a sustainable and humane fashion.

3)      Use all-natural pet care products

For pet care and clean-up, look for products free of harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients. These chemicals can damage the natural balance of our atmosphere. Natural pet care products will be better for your pet’s sensitive skin, and for you.  

4)      Buy eco-friendly toys

When looking for holiday gifts for your pet, choose toys made out of recycled materials. Your pooch or kitten will have just as much fun, and maybe even more so when he finds out that all those birds and squirrels he wants to chase are better off because of it.

5)      Take care of pet waste thoughtfully

Pick up your dog’s doo-doo with a biodegradable bag, instead of a plastic bag that could preserve your dog’s waste in a landfill for decades. When buying cat litter, avoid the clumping litter. Clumping litter is created with clay that is strip-mined, which is extremely damaging to the environment. Plus, it contains silica dust that is harmful to little kitty lungs.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 1:17 pm and is filed under Green Tips, Living Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.