By Bonny King-Taylor, the doggy lama, pet coach
There is a lot of speculation in the news these days about the environmental impact of keeping companion animals. While I am not going to offer an opinion about that, I would like to offer some tips for reducing our environmental impact as much as possible.
A Pet Safe House is Good for Everyone
Keeping a pet safe home is good for everybody!
Removing every potentially toxic chemical from your house is one of the very best ways to reduce the sum total of hazards in the world and to avoid terrible vet bills and pain in the future.
Here are a couple of safe and effective alternatives:
- “Soft Scrub” –Mix ¼ cup baking soda with enough dishwashing liquid to create a paste. Add a few drops of essential oil. I like either cinnamon or 9 drops lemongrass with 1 drop tea tree oil. It works much better than commercial products and smells great. For tough jobs, sprinkle a little salt before adding the ‘soft scrub.’
- Mix baking soda with white vinegar for an excellent alternative to ‘scrubbing bubbles.’ It’s completely non-toxic and amazingly cheap.
- Use white vinegar on windows and greasy surfaces. No streaks and the smell dissipates much more quickly than artificial scents.
The Plague of Fleas
- Avoid flea powders and ‘bombs’ whenever possible. Chemicals released into the environment tend to be absorbed by humans and other pets much more quickly than we’d like to think.
- Avoid products that list tetrachlorvinphos, carbaryl and propoxur as active ingredients. Check out greenpaws.org for handy resources to help identify which products to avoid.
- Regular grooming and simple baths are pretty effective in reducing or eliminating flea infestations.
- If you find a flea, do NOT crush it! Doing so can release eggs and additional parasites into the environment and onto your skin…ew. Instead, dunk the flea into a glass of water with dishwashing liquid in it. The surfactants in the soap dissolve the flea’s exoskeleton and the flea will die quickly.
The Great Poop Problem
Plastic bags in the landfill are one of the great problems of this century. And, unfortunately, some of our best efforts have proven ineffective. For instance, the biodegradable bags we buy in the pet store only break down when exposed to light and air. When buried under tons of garbage, they last just as long as any other plastic. Literally, it will last forever and the pet waste within will not breakdown. Consider reusing bags that would otherwise be thrown out, like newspaper and grocery bags. As least that way, they have a second life.
If you have a yard, you can’t beat the Doggie Dooley for the least environmental impact of all. It is like an independent septic tank for dog waste.
Reusing and Recycling
A new squeaker and a couple of stitches with a needle and thread and you’ve got a toy that will seem brand new to your dog. Plus, you’ll be keeping non-biodegradable fibers out of the landfill.
So, the next time Fifi tears up a toy, gather the stuffing in a bag and plan to create a whole new toy the next time you have about 5 minutes to spare. Insert a replacement squeaker and you are good to go!
Extra tip: If the stuffing in a toy gets out of control, replace it with worn out socks or similar rags. The play will be the same and you’ll get extra use out of things that can’t be reused or donated to charity.
Feel Good by Doing Good
One of the many, many wonderful things about a companion animal is that they don’t care what stuff looks like. A few holes here and there? A poor choice in pattern? It doesn’t matter to them!
Please consider donating old rugs, blankets, sweaters, hoodies, pillows and towels to your local shelter to make life more comfortable for the pooches and kitties waiting for their forever home.
I personally love making donations to the Washington Humane Society and they are always happy to see me.
(Do be mindful to avoid donating items with loose trim or tatters that might pose a choking threat to chewing puppies or curious kitties.)
Join us next week when we chat with Lee Anderson, a pet photographer, about taking those adorable pet pics for your holiday cards.
