4 Green Pet Tips

We’ve mentioned in previous articles ways to go green and reduce your pet’s carbon footprint from using biodegradable poop bags, to building your own scratching posts, to making your own cleaners from vinegar and lemons. While we may not have time to cook for our pets and sometimes some of the environmental cleaners just don’t get that stain out like bleach does, there are other ways we can step softly on the planet.

Here are 4 environmentally friendly ways to go green with our pets:

1. Tag your pet with ID tags that are recyclable or have been recycled as pet tags.
   There are many companies that make pet tags from recycled aluminum, plastic, and other materials. Dog Tag Art is one of many companies that makes pet tags from recycled steel and metal.
2. Use a pet-safe ice melter on your street and driveway when winter comes around.
   Safe Paws makes an ice melter that is safe for children and pets and contains no salt. It’s a compound that is non-corrosive and melts ice as well as breaks up the ice crystals to prevent it from re-freezing later. Safe Paw is 100% pet-safe and environmentally friendly.
3. Compost your pet’s poop in a pet waste composter or bury an old garbage bin after poking some holes in it.
   Just don’t use it on your vegetable garden because the compost won’t heat up enough to kill pathogens. There are also enzymes you can buy and put in your backyard pet septic system. Clean Air Gardening has a great pet waste compositor that is suitable for multi-dog households and has a step on lid for easy disposal. The waste is broken down and becomes fertilizer for your yard.
4. Grown your own catnip!
   Your cat will love the fresh catnip. You can get crafty and take some old fabric to create cat toys for your pet. It’s cheaper and your cat will be very happy with fresh catnip that is always available. If you need a starter kit, check out Only Natural Pet’s catnip plants.

^{Image from BC SPCA Paws for a Cause}