Eco-Friendly Dog Products.
With more and more people becoming more aware of the effect of plastic and waste on the environment, Holidays4Dogs looks into eco-friendly dog products. Read on for our plastic and waste-free tips when it comes to buying canine products.
There are 12.9 million pet dogs in the UK with well over half the population keeping one, or more, dogs as pets. Dogs bring people a lot of pleasure and happiness. This can involve a great many products purchased for their care, but not all can be considered eco-friendly dog supplies.
Pet food, treats, toys, bedding, pooper scoopers – to name but a few can all impact on the environment. However, there are alternative eco-friendly dog supplies that can help protect the planet.
Plastic-free accessories.
Rather than leather or, nylon leads, you can now purchase hemp collars and leads for dogs. These products are really strong, washable and look smart too. Hemp doesn’t need much water to grow and it is resistant to pests, reducing the need for pesticides.
There are a lot of companies selling these online and they are a really attractive and natural alternative to nylon. They are also more eco-friendly than leather dog supplies.
While many people now have a selection of bamboo plates and dishes in their kitchens, these products are also great for use as dog bowls. If you want ones specifically made for dogs, check this one out.
Biodegradable poop bags
This is a difficult one as, unfortunately, even biodegradable poop bags will end up in landfill sites. They need light (and oxygen) to break down successfully. So, they can still end up sticking around as long as ordinary plastic bags. That said, it is still better to purchase biodegradable bags. Degradable bags are made from plant starch, rather than petroleum, which most certainly contributes to climate change.
Dog beds
These items can be really expensive and more often than not, arrive wrapped in a lot of plastic packaging. They may even contain hidden plastics. Rather than purchase a dog bed, why not make one? This is a far better eco-friendly solution to one of the bigger dog supply purchases.
Your dog won’t mind if he doesn’t have a ‘designer’ bed as long as he’s comfortable. Duvets and pillows can always be re-purposed into cosy dog beds. You can make simple slipcovers from old sheets, pillowcases, or old curtains.
Ditch the plastic toys
Many dogs have just as many toys as children do these days. From soft toys to pet pooch puzzles; if you walk into any high street pet store, there is a huge range of dog toys on sale – many of them made of plastic.
Unfortunately, these don’t constitute eco-friendly dog products. As an alternative, look out for toys made of hemp, bamboo and sustainable wood products. (see our other Holidays4Dogs article on safe wood chews for dogs.)
Watch out for those ‘eco’ claims
You may think that choosing a fleece coat for your dog, made from recycled plastic bottles makes perfect eco-sense. However, scientists have found that minute particles of plastic are turning up in worrying quantities in the world’s oceans and on the sea bed.
The origin of this plastic is coming from recycled goods.
Conclusion
It’s becoming increasingly important for governments to crack down on plastic use within society, as well as for companies to reduce the amount they are using in their products.
However, we can all do our bit by reducing our plastic waste, not just for our benefit, but for the sake of all living things on the planet.
As well as other measures we can take, choosing eco-friendly dog products can really make a difference to the environment.
