There’s over 21 million pet dogs and cats in the UK, having increased since the pandemic. With 27% of UK adults owning a dog and 24% owning a cat, that’s a lot of pet lovers! But what about the impact of owning a pet on the environment?

Whether your pet is a dog, cat, rabbit, or something more exotic like a stick insect or a snake, we all want the best for them. But can we achieve this without harming the planet?

In the US alone, pet food and treat packaging generates an estimated 136 million kilograms of plastic waste each year. With over a third of pet brands lacking sustainability programs or policies, it falls on pet owners to take the initiative in reducing our pets' carbon footprints. Let’s investigate how owning a pet and being kind to the environment can go hand in hand…

Dogs

To protect local wildlife when you’re on dog walks, you should keep your dogs on a lead around livestock. The National Farmers Unions claims 15,000 sheep a year are killed by dogs that are off the leash. 

Food:

What to look out for when trying to find eco friendly dog food options: 

• Look for dog food brands that source their ingredients from suppliers who minimise the use of artificial fertilisers 

• Look for dog food brands that use thoughtfully sourced protein that is sustainable and prioritises animal welfare

• Look out for dog food brands that use low-emission manufacturing.

• Avoid dog food brands that use plastic packing, look out for recyclable packaging such as cardboard or aluminium tins. 

The Honest Kitchen, is a great cat and dog food brand that prioritises all of the above points when creating their food. Another way to source eco-friendly dog food is by going to your local butcher and asking for the off cuts that aren’t too appealing to humans. This helps to reduce food and packaging waste.

Poo bags:

Look out for biodegradable dog poo bags.

Dog toys and dog beds: 

Help to reduce plastic waste by buying dog toys made from plastic free and recyclable materials. Pets of the Earth, GreenWilds and GoodChaps all have great selection of eco dog toys. You can also help reduce plastic waste when you’re choosing a dog bed; AllPetSolutions has a great range and BarkaParka makes dog beds in the UK to help reduce transport costs and in small batches to reduce overconsumption.

Cats

You can protect wildlife in your garden by keeping your cat inside from dusk until dawn. You could also add a little metal bell to your cat's collar to warn small wild animals that a cat is nearby. 

Cat Litter: 

Use biodegradable cat litter such as wood chips or newspaper. There are great biodegradable options available on the market including Cat's Best Plus Organic Wood Granule Clumping Cat Litter.

When disposing of cat litter, never flush it down the toilet. If it’s non-compostable, then bag it and bin it. If it is compostable it can be placed in a compost bin specifically for your cat waste, but remember not to put it in your general bin as the cat waste could contain harmful parasites. 

Cat Food:

What to look out for when trying to find eco friendly cat food options: 

• Look for cat food brands that sourcing their ingredients from suppliers who minimise the use of artificial fertilisers.

• Look for cat food brands that use thoughtfully sourced protein that is farmers sustainable and prioritises animal welfare.

• Look out for cat food brands that use low-emission manufacturing.

• Avoid cat food brands that use plastic packing, look out for recyclable packaging such as cardboard or aluminium tins. 

The Honest Kitchen is a cat and dog food brand that prioritises all of the above.

Cat Toys: 

Choose cat toys made from natural, handmade or recycled natural materials. These are much safer for cats, you and the environment too. Honest Pet Products has a great selection of eco cat toys, although they do ship from the US which means their transportation impact will be high. The BECO catnip toy is made from recycled polyester cloth and there is also a good selection on Etsy.

Rabbits

First off, remember that rabbit poop is a great fertiliser for your garden so reuse it! It does not require any treatment so throw it on your garden! 

Food: 

Why not grow your own rabbit food? This will help reduce packing and transportation waste and will likely be a cheaper option too. Consider dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, lettuce, carrot and beet tops, herbs including parsley, dill, basil, broccoli, cauliflower leaves, radish tops as well as natural grasses and hay. Make sure to wash all produce before feeding it to your rabbits! 

You can also feed your bunnies food scraps, again helping to reduce packaging waste and the amount of food that ends up in landfill. Great food scrap options include leafy green vegetable tops, fruit peels skins and cores, soft fruits and berries, herb stems and vegetable peelings. Always wash the produce before feeding!

Playtime:

Rabbits are great cardboard recyclers! They love to play with cardboard and it's great for their teeth. Just watch out for choking hazards and make sure to take off any stickers or plastic on the cardboard. 

Litter:

Invest in biodegradable litter for your rabbits.