Fluffy and Rover don’t know much about climate change, so it’s up to you to take the lead and be a green pet owner.

Our pets are consumers too, and the food, toys and blankets you give them impact the environment as much as your own, human-friendly products do. In fact, New Zealand scientists Robert and Brenda Vale claim that one medium-sized dog causes more environmental damage than an SUV. Instead of running from the issue with your tail between your legs, take some of these simple steps to green your dog or cat.

1. Go veggie (at least sometimes).  It takes far more resources to raise cattle and other livestock than plants, and most pet food is especially meat-heavy. While the idea of vegetarian pets is controversial; WebMD explains that dogs can often be healthy on meatless diets with careful planning and supplementation, but cats don’t fare as well without animal products. Still, just participating in Meatless Monday with your pets, or buying peanut butter treats instead of beef jerky, can make a difference.

2. Skip the breeder. You already know that adopting is the most humane way to pick up a puppy or kitten. (You do, don’t you?) Well, it turns out that cruel puppy mills—which often house their animals in filthy, torturous conditions—tend to overbreed, placing extra strain on the environment. Head to the adoption shelter or check the classifieds to save a pet’s life—it’s just good karma.

3. Buy organic (and humane). You know all those nasty hormones, pesticides and antibiotics that come with your average burger? Well most pet food comes from the same factory-farmed cows, chickens and fish that eco-minded consumers are afraid to touch themselves (though from far more unsavory parts). And these days, there’s simply no reason to compromise. You can make your own dog food with organic, free-range meats, brown rice and veggies, or buy organic brands like Newman’s Own Organics and Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Organic formulas.

4. De-flea naturally. The ingredients in many commercial flea medicines were derived from chemical warfare experiments, according to Mother Earth News. Chemicals like carbamares and organophosphates can make your best friend nauseated, and even cause convulsions. Skip the toxins and look for natural products with diatomaceous earth, made from fossilized algae. Brand names include Nature’s Wisdom, Thomas Laboratories and GreenSense. It also helps to keep your home clean and vacuumed, emptying the vacuum cleaner after each use.

5. Get Chemical-Free Toys and Accessories.  With the wide assortment of green pet goods on the market today, you have no excuse to keep buying the same toxic plastics and chemically-treated blankets and collars. In the best pet stores, shelves are stocked with organic catnip, organic collars and leashes, biodegradable waste bags and hemp toys. If your local pet shop doesn’t offer any of these products, look no further than your computer. Online vendors like Vitacost, Only Natural Pet Store and Organic Dogs and Cats are there to help. Even big chains like Petco have some green options.

image: -=RoBeE=-

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Need another reason to choose quality pet food for your dog or cat? Last week the medical journal Pediatrics published a report warning about salmonella outbreaks in humans, mostly kids, linked to dry pet food. Between 2006 and 2008 a pet food salmonella outbreak sickened 79 people, nearly half of which were kids under two-years-old. You know about washing hands and kitchen surfaces after handling raw chicken, and that turtles can carry the bacteria, but now you have to be careful about pet food, too?

The report’s lead research Casey Barton Behravesh from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that dry dog food is an under-recognized source of human salmonella infections. What’s more, other illnesses could be caused by untainted pet food as well, without us being aware. Kids are likely infected more often by tainted pet food since they’re more likely to be crawling around on the floor near your the feeding area. Unfortunately, salmonella is also most dangerous for small children and babies.

While the chances of falling ill from Fido or Fluffy’s dinner aren’t high, it’s still good to be aware of the issue. Salmonella pet food recalls continue and last month – Iams and Eukanuba both were recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

The outbreak detailed in the current report resulted from one Pennsylvania pet food plant, and salmonella bacteria was found in several brands of dry dog and cat food. The plant was later shut down. Typically companies are vigilant about keeping bacteria at bay, and most salmonella germs are killed during the heating process in pet food manufacturing. That said, food can become contaminated from flavor enhancers that are sprayed on later.

So what can you do to ensure you, your child and your pets stay healthy and avoid salmonella bacteria? First, look for quality organic and natural pet food brands. Then, follow the advice of the study’s authors.

• Be sure to tell your pediatrician about any pets you have in the home so they can take that into account when your child gets sick.
• Wash your hands after playing with pets or touching pet food or pet bowls. The same goes for after handling pet treats!
• Clean your pet’s bowls and feeding area often. Keep kids under age five away from feeding areas, pet food and pet bowls.
• Have a separate area for cleaning your pet bowls – separate from where you clean your own dishes and separate from where you kids bathe. And you should probably have a separate sponge for cleaning your pet’s stuff, too!
• Avoid bathing babies in your kitchen sink.

Images: shaymus22, Shyn Darkley

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Had it not been for the sweeping pet-food recall of 2007, most consumers would’ve remained unaware of the sketchy pet-food manufacturing industry. That debacle shed light on the industry and has, thankfully, incited change. But because pet food is mostly unregulated, since the recall, many companies are jumping on the organic bandwagon and splashing “natural” marketing claims across their packaging. So how can you be sure that what you’re feeding your dog is as healthy as the package claims?

When you’re evaluating a new commercial pet food, don’t even look at the front. Flip the bag or box over and focus on the ingredients. Let’s take a look at a real dog food label to see how it stacks up. Holistic Select sent a sample of their Radiant Adult Health Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Pork Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Anchovy & Sardine Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Egg Product, Menhaden Fish Oil, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Peas, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Potassium Chloride, Organic Quinoa, Blueberries, Apples, Cranberries, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, DL-Methionine, Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Biotin], Minerals [Polysaccharide Complexes of Zinc, Iron, Manganese and Copper, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Inulin, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger Fermentation Products, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative).

Deciphering Protein Sources

Like the labels on people food, pet food labels list ingredients from the highest quantity to the lowest. The Holistic Select label indicates that chicken meal is in the highest concentration followed by brown and white rice. Here’s where it gets tricky: If rice were listed as a single ingredient, it would most likely outweigh the chicken meal, making grain – not meat – the primary ingredient.

Commercial pet food utilizes a lot of animal parts that don’t provide our dogs with the nutrition they require. The best meat to look for is “human-grade,” which is the highest quality and thus the most nutritionally dense. The second best option would be a named meat meal (i.e. chicken meal). And lastly, the lowest-quality meats are animal digest, meat meal, or bone meal, which are made from carcass remains and include heads, bones, blood, intestines, ligaments, and unborn babies, among others.

In our Holistic Select example, as far as dog-food meat goes, the chicken meal, pork meal, and anchovy and sardine meal are high-quality meats.

Fruits and Veggies

The label lists a range of fruits and vegetables (Carrots, Peas, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Organic Quinoa, Blueberries, Apples, Cranberries, Dried Kelp) and probiotics, all of which are crucial to round out a dog’s complete diet. Until recently, many dog foods ignored these important components, which are thankfully starting to appear in higher-quality dog foods.

Fillers and Preservatives

Beet pulp and tomato pomace are both fillers used in Holistic Select, and both are typical ingredients, though beet pulp is somewhat controversial. Despite its name, beet pulp isn’t derived from the veggie. It’s derived from sugar beets, after the sugar has been extracted, and is used as a fiber source in pet foods. However, in large quantities, beet pulp may cause intestinal problems like bloat or torsion, though commercial dog foods like Holistic Select use safe amounts.

Natural preservatives are a safer option than chemical preservatives. Avoid dog foods that list BHA/BHT. Instead, look for rosemary or Mixed Tocopherols, both of which appear in the Holistic Select food.

The Conclusion?

Pros: The Holistic Select label lists high-quality fats, whole grains, a range of vegetables and probiotics, and natural preservatives.

Cons: While this is a healthy food overall, there isn’t enough high-quality meat to make a complete diet. This food would have to be supplemented with additional meat. I would feed this to my dogs only with the addition of a grain-free canned meat.

Image: laffy4k

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The OSCAR Award-Winning documentary The Cove and the documentary The End of the Line exposed the degradation of the oceans caused by the fishing industry. Both films raised consumer awareness; yet the pet food industry is often overlooked as a major source of fish consumption. While many pet foods utilize fishmeal, cat food manufacturers use large quantities of forage fish to produce canned cat food. Forage fish include sardines, anchovies, and herring – fish eaten by predator fish like tuna, birds, and mammals.

According to a study that appeared in the Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics in October 2008, the pet food industry gobbles up about 2.48 million tonnes of forage fish each year to produce canned cat food. That stat excludes fishmeal used to produce dog food, dry cat food and fish food. While organizations like PETA contend that cats can thrive on a vegetarian diet, expert groups advocate for a meat-based diet to meet their nutritional requirements. So how can we rectify our cats’ dietary needs with the ocean’s degradation?

Pet food manufacturers are attempting to answer that question.

Last month Mars, Incorporated – makers of WHISKAS brand cat food – announced their commitment in Europe to introduce petfood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council by the end of 2010. The company is working in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to develop its fish sustainability commitment, which will roll out across all their pet food by 2020.

“There is no quick fix to this problem, but when companies as influential as Mars take a leadership role, it is great news for the world’s oceans,” said Jason Clay, Senior Vice President Market Transformation, WWF U.S.

The program’s goals are to use only fish from 100 percent sustainable wild catch and sustainable aquaculture sources, to replace all wild catch whole fish and fish fillet with sustainable fish by-products and sustainable aquaculture, and to use only sustainable alternatives to marine fish ingredients.

Other pet food manufacturers like The Honest Kitchen announced similar products.

Image: NCBrian

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We love our cats and dogs, and we owe it to them to keep them healthy. After all, mercury in fish is just as bad for Whiskers as it is for you! Green pet care may cost a little more up front, but it’s certainly less expensive than future vet bills for sick pets.

Here are some tips to keep your pets healthy:

Don’t buy foods with the chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.

Switch your cat’s diet around so they don’t get too much mercury exposure from fish.

Bypass the by-products. Choose ingredients that are organic and free-range.

Don’t use insecticides on your lawn. They’re poisonous to you, but even more so to your furry friends.

Flea collars are toxic. Instead, vacuum often, bathe your pet, and look for safer flea repellents.

Don’t buy pet shampoo. There’s no regulation of chemical ingredients for pet products. Use a mild baby shampoo instead.

And most of all, love your pet and be kind! They depend on your for their care and will be thankful if you treat them as well as you treat yourself.

Source: Pets for the Environment

Image: Mirko Macari

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