Top Green Pet Tips
Our pets are like family to a lot of us here in America. We strive for better well being and to reduce our carbon footprint, so why not take our furry friends into consideration. I have a very cute chihuahua and she doesn’t have the ability to tell me “you know this doggy food has artificial flavors and preservatives in it, I think I would like to try some real chicken product.” So we as pet owners need to make some better choices that would help the environment as well as the health of our pets. Here is just a handful of my top important green pet tips you should consider:
Eating Well
Most dog or cat food kibble you will see at the supermarket is so very bad for our pets. In these cases the animals used to make many pet foods are classified as “4-D,” which is really a polite way of saying “Dead, Dying, Diseased, or Down (Disabled)” when they line up at the slaughterhouse. Unless that can of Friskies or Dog Chow is labeled FDA Food Grade Meat than its not fit for people to eat but for some reason its okay for our pets? I don’t think so!
Natural and organic pet foods use meats that are raised in sustainable, humane ways without added drugs or hormones, minimally processed, and preserved with natural substances, such as vitamins C and E. Certified-organic pet foods must meet strict USDA standards that spell out how ingredients are produced and processed, which means no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial preservatives, artificial ingredients or genetically engineered ingredients.
Poop Cleanup
Make sure to use biodegradable doggy bags. And for kitty cats avoid clumping clay litter at all costs. It’s really harmful to the planet and if the cat was to ingest some, it could be very hazardous to your cats health. Clay litter contains sodium bentonite that acts as the clumping agent and it can poison your cat through chronic ingestion through their constant need to groom. Because sodium bentonite acts like expanding cement—it’s also used as a grouting, sealing, and plugging material—it can swell up to15 to18 times their dry size and clog up your cat’s insides. I would highly suggest an Eco friendly kitty litter such as FelinePine.
Safe Cleaning Products
None of us wants to live in a chemically toxin filled household. So I would eliminate all bleach products in your bathtubs or sinks. I know after a shower one of my cats loves to lap up the leftover water in the tub for some reason and if it were cleaned with bleach that could be very harmful to their health. And we know dogs are known for getting into the toilet water. So make sure you use cleaning products made from safe natural and non-toxic ingredients to prevent exposure to the hazardous synthetic chemicals conventional cleaners often contain.
Play Green
Many toys these days are dangerous and harmful for our pets. I came across this sad story of just how dangerous they can be zootoo.com. Not only can accidents happen through accidental ingestion or other ways alot of pet toys are known to contain elevated levels of deadly toxins. Some tests have revealed high levels of arsenic, mercury, cadmium as well as lead, so it is a combo platter of lethal chemicals. You wouldn’t let your child put a toxic toy in there mouth, so why let your pets (which most people consider there babies) do so? Shop for green pet toys at Shopgreenpets.com or find them in your local pet store.
Thoughts, Comments, Questions…
Angie Tarantino is a contributor and part founder of The Environmental Blog. She covers animal rights, green tips and general green news topics She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.
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