Nothing beats the joy of coming home to your furry little companion. Not only can they keep your company, owning a pet can help reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, support children with their emotional and social skills and boost your mood. For some pet owners that are trying to stick with sustainable living, the biggest challenge would probably be on how to balance between the need of their furry companion and the needs of the environment.
We can’t deny the fact that spaying and neutering your pets is one of the best gifts you can give to the environment. This will help you make sure that there are no baby animals that will end up on the streets or pet shelters from your end. Aside from that, you can also control your pet’s chance of getting diseases like uterus infections, prostate issues, and testicular cancer. If you’re on a tight budget, you can opt for government veterinary clinics that are available in your area.
“Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless strategy. By spaying and neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution.” said the Human Society.
Always remember to Adopt, Don’t Shop as it can help to reduce the overcrowding space in animal shelters.
You may think that flushing down your kitty cat Snowie’s poo and your dog Brownie’s pee is completely harmless but there are some studies that showed it might be harmful to the environment when it leaks and contaminants into the water supply. There might be some cities that have water treatment plants that cleanse the water, but not all of them are designed to filter some of the contents inside the feces. Be aware of some cat litter brands that contain toxic ingredients or silica dust that are actually harmful to us and animals. There are some brands out there that sell biodegradable cat litters from newspapers, wood-based pellets and plant-based materials like corn and wheat which are more ideal for composting.
We all know the harmful impacts of plastic on our planet, so limit the number of your pets’ toys with plastic material which can end up in garbage or landfill at the end of the day. You can also donate the toys to animal shelters if your pets are not using it anymore so that way, you can prolong the usage of the toys to other animals. Use organic and natural shampoo during their baths session, avoid dyes and parabens as it’s not only will affect your pet’s hair and skin, the chemicals will end up into the drain and eventually affect the environment.
Last but not least, you can try making your own sustainable food for your furry companion. While this issue is highly controversial, please make sure to consult your veterinarian before you make your own pet food as raw diets and homemade treats may not be what’s best for them. However, if you want to skip the mess, buy in bulk when you’re buying prepared or canned food and make sure the packaging is recyclable.
Whichever alternatives that suits you best, it’s your choice!