Our pets have a massive pawprint. Dogs and cats consume approximately 25% of the worldwide meat supply, which results in dangerous greenhouse gases, contaminated water, and inefficient use of land. However, there are a few actions that you can take to cut down on your pet's environmental impact. It starts with a conscious diet, eco-friendly food, and lots of care. 

CO2 Pawprint

Each year, dogs and cats emit a whopping 64 million tons of carbon dioxide from pet food production. Yet we continue to encourage this trend, opting for higher-end, human-grade meat. One environmentalist, Tom Neish says, "I've become concerned in recent years with the rise of pet foods with 'human grade' meat. These premium pet foods are great products, but as the Earth warms and resources dwindle, should we really be feeding so much meat to our pets?" So Tom set out on a journey to improve the pet-food industry using a surprising ingredient - larvae. Insect protein in invertebrates is easier to digest than chicken and other meats. It is of much higher quality with less processing. While insect flour may sound disgusting to us, dogs and cats love this food. Yora hints at a much bigger trend: sustainable food production. Rather than choosing meat-rich dog food, consider one with insect protein, more veggies, and less processing. Better yet, make your eco-friendly dog food! 

Keeping Active

Pet food is only one part of our pet's pawprint. We need to help our furry friends live a more active and healthy lifestyle. Sixty percent of cats tip the scales into obesity and slightly more than 56% of dogs. Our pets are getting fat - and it's not good for them. Ensure that you regularly walk or play with your companions to help them remain physically active. Plus, don't overfeed them! If you can't take them outside, try these creative tips to keep them active indoors: 

1. Create an obstacle course 

2. Tug-Of-War And Fetch

3. Play Hide and Seek

4. Get Your Dog on Treadmill

5. Scavenger Hunt

6. Use Food Dispensers/Toy Launchers

Caring for Both

Lastly, one of the best ways to care for the environment is to care for your pet. This means regularly grooming them with non-toxic pest protection such as soap and water. The NRDC finds that "many conventional flea and tick products such as collars, topical treatments, sprays, and dust contain chemicals that could be risky to our pet's health and human health. For instance, synthetic neonicotinoids (like imidacloprid and dinotefuran), which are known to harm pollinators (bees) and could be toxic to kids' developing brains." It also means picking up dog waste ASAP to prevent contaminants from damaging the surrounding area. For cat waste, don't flush it down the toilet as their feces can also enter waterways and affect marine life. Many "sewer programs are not designed to screen out some of the things that are contained in a dog or cat poop" (Andrew Wetzler, NRDC). And remember that spaying or neutering your pets can ensure that shelters don't get overcrowded with inhumane conditions. 

Take Action

With these tips, you can care for your pet while caring for our Earth. Even better, go the extra mile to offset your pet's pawprint. We must think about all of our impacts on nature. Who knew that dogs and cats could have such a significant impact? We hardly think about the small things, but they can often have the most significant impact. Let's take small steps against climate change. 

Hey! Below you can find the sources we used to brainstorm these tips. If you are looking to read more about how we calculated CO2 pawprints read this article. Or, help take one of the biggest steps to an eco pet by changing their diet.

Our Sources

Jenks, Susan. “Our Fat Pets.” NYTimes, 2 Aug. 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/well/fat-pets-dog-cat-health.html.

Smith-Janssen, Karen. “Nontoxic Ways to Protect Your Pet.” NRDC, 22 Jan. 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/nontoxic-ways-protect-your-pet.

Wetzler, Andrew. “Andrew Wetzler.” NRDC, 17 Sept. 2019, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/andrew-wetzler.

“Now Available for All Sizes and Ages!” Forbes, https://www.yorapetfoods.com/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2020.

Team, Cowspiracy. “COWSPIRACY - The Meat in Dog Food Has a Huge Environmental Impact.” COWSPIRACY, 10 June 2018, https://www.cowspiracy.com/blog/meat-in-dog-food.

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