If you’re reading this, then chances are you are a pet lover. And that makes you an awesome human in our books.

But as loveable as pets are, they can come with quite a sizeable eco–pawprint. In fact, it has been estimated that one medium-sized dog can have a similar carbon footprint to a large SUV. And that your favourite feline generates 310 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year. That’s the equivalent of a 12 hour drive!

Whilst that's not a touch on human emissions, it's still worth considering because there is something you can do to reduce your pets impact to the environment. In fact, there’s quite a lot you can do.

So come with us as we take you on a quick walkies through the green, green world of eco-pet ownership. 

Most of us are thoroughly invested in the ethos of reduce, reuse, recycle and have made it a part of our daily lives. But until recently, not many of us were applying the same principles to our pets.

Thankfully, however, all that is starting to change as owners look for increasingly sustainable and eco-friendly ways to incorporate their pets into their lives. 

Here’s a few of the ways they do it.

REDUCE PACKAGING:

Ironically, one of the biggest problems with pet food has nothing to do with the contents. It’s the packaging. Many pet foods come in plastic bags or pouches, and, as we all know, these take hundreds of years to decompose.

Thankfully, however, there are alternative solutions.

1. Look for places that sell unpackaged food and allow you to carry it home in your own sustainable container.
2. Buy pet foods that come with sustainable packaging. More and more pet companies are starting to bring out bio-degradable packs.
3. Recycle your old pet food packaging at public drop-off locations.

BUY/MAKE SUSTAINABLE PET TOYS:

Pet toys are hours of fun for animals and humans alike. But unfortunately, they are usually made of plastics. And that’s not fun for the planet.

So, what can you do?

1. Look for toys made from eco-friendly, recyclable natural materials such as bamboo, hemp, jute etc.
2. Buy toys that are made exclusively from upcycled or recycled plastics.
3. Refurbish old household products into toys for your pets.
4. Pass on any unloved toys to other pet owners.

LOOK FOR ECO-FRIENDLY PET BED ALTERNATIVES:

The average Aussie family gets through one dog bed a year. That’s 5 million pieces of toxic, petro-chemical foam made that can take decades or even centuries to break down in landfill.

Thankfully there are some eco-friendly steps you can take to counter the problem.

1. Look for sustainable beds made from recycled materials that reduce your pet’s carbon pawprint.
2. Buy a well-made bed that’s durable and long-lasting. This means you won’t have to throw it into the garbage after a year.
3. Make your own. AnimalWised has made a great tutorial to make your own eco-friendly dog bed with an old sweater.

ADOPT, DON’T SHOP

If you are in the market for a new pet, then think about adopting one instead of buying from a breeder. This simple action discourages the breeding of unwanted litters, which in turn can have a real impact on carbon dioxide emissions.

PROTECT NATIVE WILDLIFE. KEEP YOUR CAT INSIDE

We all love our furry feline friends. But unfortunately, they also come with a strong predatory instinct that leads them to hunt birds, reptiles and mammals. Recent studies have found that a single pet cat can kill 186 native animals a year. Now multiply that up by 3.8 million cats and you have a truly staggering loss of life.

But there are a few simple fixes.

1. Make sure your cat is kept inside.
2. If it does go outside, make sure it is only under your supervision.
3. Put a bell on its collar so that wildlife can hear it coming.

REAR GUARD ACTION. BIODEGRADABLE POOP BAGS

Global dog poop bags use is estimated to account for 0.6% of total plastic waste generation in mass! That’s over 1 million tons that end up in landfill per annum.

Sadly, many of these bags are made of plastic that doesn’t biodegrade for thousands of years. Fortunately however, a number of companies are now making biodegradable poop bags that biodegrade in 3 to 6 months.

So, if you can, always make sure you use these instead of the traditional plastic ones. Oh, and while we’re talking poop, avoid flushing your cat’s waste down the toilet. It can pollute the water and affect sea animals. A safer bet is to throw it in the trash instead.

WHAT KAZOO IS DOING TO REDUCE OUR ECO PAWPRINT

As a leading pet supply brand, we are keenly aware of our responsibility to become ever more eco-friendly. And we are working tirelessly towards that goal.

 Here’s just a few of the eco initiatives we have implemented.

1. Better Bowls! We brought out our very own range of eco-friendly, premium recycled pet bowls (pawfect for medium dogs and cats.) Each bowl is made from 350gm of recycled post-consumer plastic. So that means they don’t contribute to landfill in any way shape or form. Yay.
2. Our dog apparel range is using recycled fibres wherever possible to lessen our ecological impact.
3. A number of our cat toys are now being made from 100% recycled fabrics and fibres.
4. Our range of poop bags are eco-friendly, biodegradable and fully compostable.

Do you have any more eco-friendly tips?

Tell us below!