Eco-Friendly Pet Care Suggestions from Someone (ruff!) Who Knows

NYLCVEF’s weekly Citizen Toolkit writer, Peter Aronson, will return next week. We hope you enjoy this article from our guest author, Hazel Russo Aronson, with an introduction by Peter:

[This the first article written by Hazel Russo Aronson, sometimes referred to as Princess Hazel, or, sorry, just plain old Baby, or Baby Girl. She knows she is the cutest creature on planet earth and she has decided to use that designation to her advantage by making an important announcement in this column today. In case there’s anyone out there doubting her credibility, she comes from mighty fine stock: Tennessee born, NYC raised, she is a 10-year-old mix of dachshund, beagle and other fine snout-to-ground sniffer ruffers who will eat anything within her reach… including lots of paper and a TD Bank pen. So we know she’s a writer! Here she goes.]

By Hazel Russo Aronson

Today, I publicly announce my environmental position to the world. My position is that we have the same environmental rights as all those huggy and sometimes too-pushy two-legged creatures who we, ok, admittedly, love to nuzzle with. We breathe the same air as all two-leggers. We drink the same tap water and sometimes, when we are lucky, we eat the same food. And, this is a big one, perhaps we suffer even more when it’s so darn hot, like on these dog days of summer (Sorry, pun definitely intended. Ruff!). After all, who’s wearing the fur coat in the family?

I’m told that in this dog-eat-dog world (Again, sorry, couldn’t resist. Ruff!), every little bit helps.

With my beautiful, long snoopy nose and my furry, clever, eager paws, I perused the thing the two-leggers call the internet. I found these meaningful words from an animal hospital/vet in Arlington, VA.

“Between the agricultural practices, livestock management, packaging, and transportation of pet foods, the pet care industry has an immutable impact on rising greenhouse gasses,” these smart two-leggers in Virginia wrote. “Despite this ever-growing carbon footprint, we can make a variety of changes to the ways we provide and care for our best friends. Eco-friendly pet care is not only easy and straightforward, it has a tremendous effect on the future.” 

This veterinary service (found at My Arlington Vet) said some additional important things, which were actually a bit scary:

That the process of creating all that crunchy stuff the 90 million of us ruffers in the U.S. love to eat each year (two-leggers call it kibble) has the same impact on the environment as 13 million cars driving our streets. In addition, My Arlington Vet also said that because 25 percent of all U.S. meat production is used for pet food, more than 60 million tons of greenhouse gasses are pumped into our air annually for pet food production.

Yuck. Oh, sorry, RUFF!

Unfortunately, although we clearly (clearly!) are the dominant species on earth, somehow we can’t control much of the care, toys and food the two-leggers give us. (They got the money, we got the love.)

So, I did some more pawing and nosing through the internet and found these many tips. Many came from Rover.com and other sources: 

1. First, the messy stuff. Always use biodegradable poopy bags. Although this is highly personal info, for the greater good of my furry friends, I will reveal that I poop a lot (a lot!) and after some fast paw-to-tongue-to-snout math calculations, I realized that my own personal two-leggers need 730-1,095 poopy bags a year to get rid of my crap. (Sorry … sorry … I couldn’t resist. Ruff!)

   There are probably some options at your pet store and definitely many options on the internet for biodegradable and compostable poopy bags, just snoop or paw around and you’ll find the right choice. Again, very personal stuff here … but my poop goes into Doggy Do Good’s green bags. My two-leggers seem very pleased! 

2. Biobased, biodegradable cat litter is on the market. Again, stroll on over to your local pet store or paw the internet for choices.

3. I hear this talk all the time in my home. Eat organic. Eat local. Don’t eat processed food. What two-leggers get, we deserve as well. Fortunately, as I pawed and sniffed my way through the internet, I saw many options. They talk about organic pet food, “whole” pet food without processed ingredients and also emphasize buying local. The local pet stores may be an excellent option. Some two-leggers even cook organic whole foods for their beloved. Wow! Many choices exist. You know where to find them. Ruff!

   (PS from Hazel: Always consult your vet before changing your beloved’s food. Thank you.)

4. Let’s keep going with this good stuff. Animal beds should be made of natural fibers, durable and washable. And recyclable. Buy local, buy high quality.
5. Ditto for toys. Should be made to last, of natural ingredients. No plastic. Recyclable.
6. Unfortunately, sometimes we make a mess in the house. I won’t go into details, but you know what I mean. My two-leggers seem obsessed with cleaning up my mess as soon as their two legs can scoot them across the room to get it. Pawing around, I found these good choices: Seventh Generation, Biokleen and  Dr. Bonner’s as recommended cleaners.

More tips can be found at Wildlife Trusts, The Wildest, Daily Paws and Sustainable Jungle.

As I paw off on my first ever article for the New York League of Conservation Voters, I am reminded of something I read recently. (Yeah, I read a lot under my favorite bed when my two-leggers are out.) I read that the astronaut Neil Armstrong said when he stepped onto the moon, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Well, I ain’t going to the moon, no way Jose, love my two-leggers way too much … but I do know that if all the two-leggers of the world read this article and took some small pet-eco steps, it all could add up to, if not a giant leap, then at least a step or two in our continued fight against global warming. Because I keep hearing my two-legger say: “Every little bit helps.” 

Yeah, I’ll buy into that. Ruff ruff!