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How to be an Environmentally Friendly Pet Owner

Environmentally Friendly Pets

This summer has been one of the hottest we’ve ever had, so you wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that climate change is starting to have a real affect on our lives.

Now is the time to help stop climate change. It can be hard to make the move from thinking to doing, but with a few small changes, it can be done. Some of our ideas will be obvious but some might not be, so stay with us because every little change we make now will help to create a healthier future for us all.

SAVING WATER

When you wash your dog, place them on the lawn in a big tub to collect the water. Use this water to water the garden. Using a more natural shampoo will ensure it’s not too harsh on your lawn.

Other options for bathing is a DIY dog wash. These are usually on a timer and encourage you to use less water due to the time restraint.

There are dry shampoo products on the market. These products are just massaged into your dog or cats fur and left to dry, eliminating the need for water use altogether.

Use ceramic pet bowls. Water stays fresher in ceramic, reducing the cleaning and water changes required. Remember when you do clean out your bowls, do it over the garden so the water gets put to good use.
Aquarium water is completely safe for your garden and brings a bonus fish poo top up.

RECYCLING & REDUCING WASTE

Purchase a pooper scooper for home and stop using plastic bags.  When out and about, invest in biodegradable bags that break down within twenty four months.

If you have old toys around the house that are still in good condition, don’t throw them out, donate them to your local dog rescue or drop them into any Better Pets and Gardens store where we have rescue collection bins.

Invest in can covers so you can stop using plastic wrap.

If you’re feeding canned food, rinse empty tins and remove labels then place them into your yellow top recycling wheelie bin.

Every Better Pets and Gardens store sells loose treats. Bring your own material or string bag and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill.

You will find some treats at Better Pets and Gardens are packaged in netting produce bags (onion type). These are recyclable at most metro and large regional supermarkets in their REDcycle stations. The basic rule when using a REDcycle station is “If it’s soft plastic and CAN be scrunched into a ball, it can be placed in a REDcycle drop off bin.”

Other soft plastics from our store that you could recycle at a REDcycle station are:

* All must be as clean and dry as possible and if they are large, cut down to A3 size.

CHOOSE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PET PRODUCTS

Choose a cat litter that is made of recyclable or sustainable material and is biodegradable so it breaks down over time.

Purchase good quality toys that last. You might think that buying a toy and throwing it out the next week is just how it is, but it doesn’t have to be. Quality toys should last longer than a week. Products like Tasty Bone, Sporn Marrow Chew Bone and KONG® are examples of good quality toys that will last for longer, some are even guaranteed to do so. When choosing your chew toy, you must get the right size. Sometimes you might need to go up a size or two for them to last a little longer. A good rule of thumb is that the toy should be larger than your dog’s mouth.

Hessian fabric is completely biodegradable, hard wearing, sustainable and made from readily grown plants. That’s why the hessian trampoline dog bed has made our list of environmentally friendly dog products you need around your home. When the hessian mat wears out, you can throw it away knowing it will eventually break down and not contribute to landfill like other poly or nylon fibres might.

If your dog is incontinent, in heat or you’re just worried about accidents in the car, you might want to use a Diaper. Washable Diapers for dogs are a thing and can reduce a heap of landfill.

Find your closest Better Pets and Gardens Store here

Click here to download this fact sheet