Reduce Your Pooch's Carbon Paw Print

While dogs are known as man’s best friend, Mother Earth may have more mixed feelings about Fido – or about the products you use to pamper your pet.

According to the American Pet Product Association, 78.2 million dogs (and 86.4 million cats) have found a cherished place in 72.9 million U.S. homes – and this year, alone, their owners will spend about $51 billion on their creatures’ comforts.

The good news is that pets help their owners reduce stress, fight depression, and even lower their blood pressure. The bad news is that a good part of the $51 million spent nationwide will produce waste that harms the environment. 

Heidi Ganahl, CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow, a doggy “day and overnight camp” with more than 100 locations in the United States and Canada, has come up with several ways in which you can reduce your pet’s carbon paw print:

• Make Waste More Eco Friendly: It takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. There are more eco-friendly options available at the grocery store, such as biodegradable bags made of corn husks that are made specifically for cleaning up what comes out of the other end.
• Premium Chow: Look for organic or natural products, which are easier on your pet’s stomach, and help reduce waste overall. Be sure to recycle the packaging, such as cans and food bags.
• Break out the Fine China: For your pet dishes, purchase stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead of plastic. These materials last longer and don’t have to be replaced as often, eliminating waste.  (They also are less likely to cause an outcropping of acne on your pet’s chin – a little known, but often seen, side effect of plastic plates and bowls.)
• Groom Green: Use grooming products that are made with natural ingredients, instead of chemicals that are harmful to the environment. You should also support groomers that use natural products or ask that your groomer switch to more eco-friendly products.
• Help Reduce the Population of Homeless Pets: You’ve heard Bob Barker say it before but here it is again: Spay or neuter your pet. This is beneficial to your animal’s health and to the planet, as well.  Instead of purchasing a dog from a breeder, strongly consider adoption.