By Dr. R.J. Peters
While many of us scramble to "go green" and reduce our "carbon footprint," it's easy to forget about Fido doing his thing in the back yard. Outdoor cats impact back yards also, as they find a comfortable garden to take advantage of.
Even if a pet is kept exclusively indoors, we may not realize how much of a carbon "pawprint" they are creating.
Here are 7 things we can do to make that pawprint smaller:
Always know where your pet is. If your cats are indoor/outdoor, always supervise them while outside. This is easier with dogs, as they can be restrained by fencing or leashing. However, some people like to give their dogs a little "freedom" and allow them to run at large during the night, when animal control officials are off duty. Not only is this a bad idea, but it's against the law in most communities. Restricting cats is harder, so keeping them indoors makes the most sense. It's safer, too.
Compost pet wastes. This material should never be used to fertilize a vegetable garden, but it can be placed around decorative plants.
Always spay or neuter your pet. Homeless animal populations are out of control and local agencies are not able to keep up with it. Despite the horrendous numbers of healthy dogs and cats killed every year, many people continue to dump unwanted pets in areas where they may hunt, leave wastes, and destroy property.
If you are using sustainable products, don't forget the pets in your home. We all benefit when they go green, too. Instead of buying the usual dog toys, try making them yourself by recycling items at home. Tie some old socks together to make a pull toy for the dog, or put a little homegrown catnip into a sock and tie it off for the cat. And always look for pet products made from recycled or sustainable sources.
Use a natural pet food, made from healthful ingredients. Cheap brands typically contain unnatural products, or undefined "by-products" that can actually be harmful. Keeping your pet healthy leads to fewer veterinary visits as well as creating wastes that don't burn up the yard.
Cat litter is a product that no one keeps track of. Where does it go when it's used up? The common clay or sand litters are strip-mined from the ground and are full of dust... not good for their lungs, or ours. While those are natural products, it's actually better for us, for them, and for the environment if we use recycled materials, such as pulverized newspaper or sawdust that has been processed into a convenient form for use at home.
When you're ready for a new pet, always check at the shelters first. As many as 25% of pets surrendered are pure breeds, often with papers, but that's not a good reason to get a pet. Give the "mutts" and regular cats a chance. Often, mixed breeds have little or no health problems and will cost you less at the vet's.
Another thing we may not think about when we hear the horrendous statistics about how many pets are euthanized every year, is where the bodies go. That can't be good for the landfills. Even if they were all cremated, that's an expensive operation.
A great, green goal would be to reduce the unwanted pet populations before they are born so we can stop the killing.
Dr. Peters has an extensive background in health care, animal care, journalism, computer repair and systems administration. She writes articles over a wide spectrum of topics and has numerous ebooks available on the Internet. Visit
http://www.theproblemcat.com and
http://www.hipaws.com for more articles and information about pets.
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