When we got our first dog, I scoured every book I could find for the best pet care tips. At that time (20 plus years ago) I was mostly concerned with my pets health and proper training. Those are still two very important things to consider when caring for pets. Nowadays, however, I consider some of the best pet care tips to be those that reduce my furry friend’s impact on the environment as well. For many people, going green has become a priority. Whether it be purchasing a more gas efficient car, shopping with reusable bags, or recycling old clothing, families are doing more than ever to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle. All of these changes are great for reducing your carbon footprint, but what about those carbon paw prints? Luckily, there are several simple changes pet owners can make to green up their pet care routine. I will include a few pet care tips below that might help as well as a few affiliate links for eco friendly pet products.
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Best Pet Care Tips for Eco Friendly Pet Owners
Opt for Stainless: When shopping for new pet dishes, ditch the plastic and go with stainless steel or ceramic. They’ll be easier to clean and easier on the environment. They also tend to last much longer than plastic bowls do. Amazon has a great selection of stainless steel pet dishes to choose from.
Eco Friendly Pet Toys: There are many green options when it comes to pet toys. You can make your dog’s toys from old socks or t-shirts or buy recycled dog toys for them to play with.
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Get Moving: Planning a trip to the dog park? If it’s not too far, skip the car ride over and burn some extra calories by walking there. Your waistline and the environment will thank you.
Think Bulk when Shopping: When purchasing pet food, treats or kitty litter; think big. Buying these pet supplies in larger quantities helps cut down on packaging material wasted and reduces the number of car trips to the pet store. Plus, there’s the added benefit of getting more bang for your buck when buying these types of pet products in bulk.
Homemade Pet Treats: You can save lots of money and feed your pet healthier if you make homemade dog treats. And homemade treats aren’t just for dogs! Try these popcorn balls for birds if you have a pet bird!
Clean Green: Undoubtedly, pet parents will clean up their fair share of messes throughout their furry companion’s lifetime. Choosing natural cleaning products to clean up those unpleasant messes is not only easier on the environment, but also keeps your family and pets safe from the toxic fumes of harsher cleaning products. Check out these green pet cleaners to remove stains and odors.
Help Animals in Need: Shelters and rescue groups are almost always looking for donations. Instead of disposing of gently used items like towels or leashes, consider donating them. Be sure to check with your local shelter for their specific needs.
Do you have any other pet care tips to share?
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.
I always buy my cat food in such big bulk! I use that tip- nice post!
glad these tips were helpful!
Stainless is definitely the way to go. Plus, it won’t break which is an added plus!
These are very helpful tips. A while ago, we switched our animals’ bowls for stainless steel. It is easier to clean, and they seem to prefer it. We also try to keep the house clean with natural cleaners. With kids and pets running around, we don’t need all the chemicals in our house.
We try to be eco-friendly as much as possible. We do buy our pets’ food in bulk, because it is also more affordable and lasts longer.
it is definitely cheaper to buy bigger bags!
I am a huge animal lover, these are very helpful tips! Our pets have always been family members to us!!
One of the things that keeps us from being a pet family is the price of doing so, but your article makes me feel there’s a simpler way of keeping pets once you have them.
Other than buying in bulk, we weren’t doing much to be eco friendly in the pet department. I need to implement your tips into our everyday life.
every baby step helps whenever you can!
Awesome post! Having a pet is great, but to keep the earth clean is also very important!
Glad you found the post helpful!