This has been mirrored by increasing trends in extreme breeds<\/a>, which often come with a range of health issues, as well as social media-fuelled fads of pet costumes, \u2018prime meat\u2019 diets and even caf\u00e9s selling puppaccinos and doggie ice cream.\u00a0 <\/p> While it\u2019s fair to say we love our pets as much as ever,\u00a0many\u00a0of these new trends are not only bad for our pets, risking disease\u00a0and obesity,\u00a0but are also\u00a0harmful to\u00a0our planet. \u00a0<\/p> It’s well worth considering how we can reduce our pets\u2019 carbon footprints or should that be \u2018pawprints\u2019, keeping them in a more sustainable way.\u00a0<\/p> The great news about reducing our pets\u2019 carbon pawprint is that for almost every action we take, we\u2019re also improving their welfare, giving them a better quality of life and saving us money \u2013 a win-win situation.<\/p> We can reduce the carbon pawprints of our pets by keeping them healthy in the first place: good preventative healthcare \u2013 such as vaccinations<\/a>, good nutrition<\/a>, daily teeth brushing<\/a> and parasite<\/a> management \u2013 can help, as can seeking quality vet advice early if you have concerns about their health. \u00a0<\/p> Keeping them in tip-top condition will help reduce the number of medicines<\/a> and anaesthetics they may require throughout their lifetimes, as well as significantly improving their lives and reducing your vet bills – something we\u2019re all mindful of in this cost-of-living crisis.\u00a0<\/p> It\u2019s important to consider what medicines and treatments we use for our pets. In recent years, fipronil and imidacloprid, which are chemicals found in topical spot-on parasite treatments, have been found in worrying concentrations in our waterways, with a recent study suggesting this could occur when we wash our hands after applying such products to our pets.<\/p> It\u2019s not just parasiticides we need to be cautious with \u2013 antibiotics can also end up in the environment, and as one of the biggest challenges we face as a species is preserving the future of functional antibiotics, we need to act now. <\/p> It\u2019s essential we keep our pets healthy and treat flea<\/a> infestations or health issues but now we have these additional environmental risks to consider, we must all work together to be more responsible and use these products in a risk-based way to minimise these\u00a0impacts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p> Speaking to your vet about the best parasite treatment and protection regime for your pet is the best way to balance our pets\u2019 health and the planet\u2019s health. \u00a0<\/p> Serious consideration should be given to where you source your pet and what breed you choose. Rehoming a pet<\/a> is always a more sustainable option, while choosing and promoting ownership of healthy breeds which can thrive without significant veterinary intervention will also dramatically reduce their carbon pawprint.\u00a0<\/p> We need to move away from the worrying trend of buying pets we perceive as \u2018cute\u2019\u00a0but suffer desperately, such as extreme breeds with very short noses ( brachycephalic pets),\u00a0and towards more healthier breeds that will thrive.\u00a0 <\/p> The number and size of pets is also worth considering – smaller pets tend to have lower impact on the environment and for many species, focussing on one pet may allow you to give them a better quality of life – although there are some exceptions such as rabbits and\u00a0guinea pigs\u00a0who are highly social and need to be kept with other members of their species. \u00a0<\/p> One of the greatest\u00a0elements of your pet\u2019s carbon pawprint\u00a0is from\u00a0their\u00a0food \u2013 not only what we are feeding, but also how much. <\/p> Shockingly, despite decades of veterinary advice, around half of UK cats and dogs are overweight<\/a> or obese.\u00a0This not only causes significant welfare issues, from decreased mobility, increased arthritis and other serious conditions such as diabetes, but also is exceedingly wasteful \u2013 for our wallets and the\u00a0planet’s\u00a0resources. <\/p> Feeding your pet to their ideal, lean \u2018body condition\u2019, which your vet can help advise you on, is critical to reduce this impact on the planet.\u00a0<\/p> It\u2019s also worth considering\u00a0what<\/em>\u00a0you feed your pet. While exact impacts across studies vary, the consensus is that feeding dry pet food\u00a0has\u00a0significantly lower impacts (around half the impacts) compared to\u00a0feeding wet food. <\/p> This is generally to do with the\u00a0ingredient compositions and the way these ingredients\u2019 impacts are calculated – particularly in the case of meat and \u201canimal by-products\u201d – the nutritious meat products commonly used in pet foods, which are fit for human consumption but not commonly eaten by people, so may otherwise be wasted.\u00a0 <\/p> Beyond this, foods marketed as \u2018fresh\u2019, \u2018raw\u2019,\u00a0or including\u00a0\u2018prime cuts\u2019 have hugely more significant environmental impacts than\u00a0the\u00a0average, complete pet food. \u00a0There\u00a0is no evidence to suggest\u00a0that\u00a0these foods, often marketed as premium,\u00a0are better for\u00a0our pets\u2019\u00a0health\u00a0– and\u00a0they are often more expensive for owners – so it\u2019s best to\u00a0avoid these and\u00a0opt for a complete pet food instead.\u00a0<\/p> Be aware that cats are \u2018obligate\u2019 carnivores, meaning they require the nutrients found in meat to thrive, and it\u2019s hard to easily supplement these from other sources, whereas dogs are much more omnivorous and are well-adapted to starch-based diets. <\/p> As with our own diets, pet diets with a higher proportion of plants will have a lower impact, and companies are developing and producing more sustainable healthy pet foods all the time – including vegetarian\u00a0and\u00a0vegan\u00a0foods for dogs, and other proteins for dogs and cats, such as\u00a0cell-cultured meat and insect-based foods.\u00a0 It\u2019s always important to consult your vet before changing your pet\u2019s diet.<\/p> While it\u2019s extremely difficult to determine exactly what goes into your pet\u2019s food from the label, to keep your carbon pawprint low, choose a nutritionally complete dry food for your pet, ideally with a high proportion of sustainable plants (potatoes are a good low-impact option) and avoid premium fresh, raw or prime diets, and to talk to your vet about tailoring your pet\u2019s diet to their health. \u00a0<\/p> Many of us have heard how devastating the effects of our cats hunting native wildlife can be on ecosystems<\/a> or know leaving pet waste in the environment results in\u00a0a number of\u00a0hazards.\u00a0<\/p> But a study has shown that as little as a few minutes\u2019 play with your cat, mimicking predation-type behaviours, can significantly reduce their appetite for hunting wildlife. \u00a0<\/p> Similarly,\u00a0microchip-scanning\u00a0cat-flaps, which can be set to allow exit only at certain times of day and night,\u00a0can also help to keep your cat indoors during dusk and dawn,\u00a0when the majority of cats hunt.\u00a0<\/p> Likewise, simply picking-up after your pet can have a huge impact, not only reducing the zoonotic risk (where humans can pick up parasites and infections from the pet waste), but also helping to keep livestock<\/a> healthy due to eliminating parts of parasite life cycles. \u00a0<\/p> Finally, try to think more from your pet\u2019s perspective.\u00a0 In our world fuelled by dopamine hits and likes on Instagram, it\u2019s all too easy to be drawn into the latest trends or fads.\u00a0But posting a picture of your pooch in a costume or buying plastic toys your pet won\u2019t ever use\u00a0can\u00a0contribute to huge negative impacts on the planet.\u00a0<\/p>How to reduce your pet’s carbon footprint<\/h2>
Health<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/08\/Rescue-a-dog.jpg?fit=1024,1024\")
Buying vs rehoming <\/h3>
Breed<\/h3>
![\"Flat-faced](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/07\/Flat-faced-dogs-have-40-increased-risk-of-a-shorter-lifespan--scaled.jpg\")
Food<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/08\/dog-eating.jpg\")
Wellbeing<\/h3>