4 Sustainability Mistakes Dog Pawrents Make
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 15:48:58 PM America/Los_Angeles
Having a fur baby is a rewarding experience that adds joy to the lives of dog pawrents everywhere. However, raising a pet does have ecological consequences that can be easily overlooked. Read on to find out more about the most common wasteful behaviors that dog owners make and how to remedy those bad habits.
Photo by Patrick Hendry
Not Picking Up Pet Waste
Pet waste is a natural byproduct of raising a living, breathing animal. But make no mistake – there’s nothing positive about leaving dog poo behind. The toxins and bacteria in pet waste can contaminate waterways and kill plants. This in turn can have a negative effect on the ecosystem that relies on the plants and grass to survive. Prevent the domino effect that pet waste can have on the planet by always picking up after your doggo.
Using Plastic Poo Bags
As one of products most frequently used by pet pawrents, poo bags have a huge impact on the environment. Think about how many you alone use in one week. Now, multiply that by about 78 million, because that’s how many dogs live as pets in the U.S. alone!
Using compostable poo bags is a fantastic way to reduce contributing to the plastic waste in landfills. Compostable bags fully decompose and don’t leave behind microplastics the way that biodegradable bags do. A natural pee pad can also help reduce waste by eliminating the use of single-use plastics like poo bags. Waste can be picked up and tossed in the toilet for easy and sustainable disposal!
Overbuying Pet Stuff
It’s no surprise that pet owners overbuy supplies. It’s a consequence of wanting to spoil our precious fur babies. The downside is that we’re often buying items that our doggos don’t need or want, too. A large haul of dog toys sounds like a canine dream, but experienced pet pawrents know that dogs often choose a couple as their favorite and quickly abandon the rest.
The solution? Buy one type of product at a time, and test them out before purchasing in bulk or going out to buy more stuff. Noticing that your fur ball doesn’t care for squeaker toys? Move onto the next type of toy as you develop a sense of your doggo’s preferences instead buying a bunch of stuff that will lay around unused. For items that are gently used but unreturnable, consider donating to a local rescue so that you can pass on the love!
Not Reading Food Labels
The dog food market is heavily reliant on the meat industry, one of the biggest producers of CO2 emissions. Straying entirely from meat may not be ideal or even possible for many canines, but looking for organic and ethically sourced proteins can help make a big dent in the carbon footprint of raising pets. Look for foods containing ingredients that have been raised, sourced, or farmed responsibly to make feeding your fur baby more sustainable!
Bark Potty partners with 1% for the Planet to donate 1% of our sales to One Tree Planted. 1% for the Planet is a network of businesses that have committed to taking responsibility for the environmental impacts of their various industries. 1% for the Planet encourages businesses to practice corporate responsibility by facilitating donations to grassroots environmental organizations such as One Tree Planted. Each Bark Potty purchase you make further supports our collective efforts to reduce the ecological footprint that humans have left on the environment!