Green Your Pets: Adopt from Shelters
Pets are such a source of joy; science has proven that having an animal companion provides many physical and psychological benefits. But America’s more than 160 million owned dogs and cats surely impact the environment. This week we’re sharing tips about how to reduce Fido’s and Fluffy’s environmental pawprints.
Tip #1: Pound It
When you’re looking for a furry friend to bring home, skip the pet stores and breeders and head to the pounds and shelters. The commercial pet trade creates an excess of animals – and more mouths to feed, which creates more waste – when millions are already in need of adoption. Plus, the business of selling animals can harm critical ecosystems like rainforests, from which 38 million creatures are removed every year for the retail-pet industry. Shelters stock an excellent selection of breeds (and mutts!) that need “recycling” into a new home, and some shelters are even going green.
Tip #2: Green Pet Products
Tip #3: Get ‘Em Fixed
Tip #4: Deal With Their Waste
