I have a wonderful 80-pound chocolate lab named Toby. Toby’s most endearing qualities are his talent to fit multiple balls and sticks in his mouth at one time, his love for kids, and his ability to make me laugh constantly. He’s awesome and along with my husband, is my best friend.
Part of having a zero waste home is having a zero waste pet. My husband is allergic to cats and therefore we don’t have any cats in our house, but I believe many of the following tips will be similar to a any household pet including a cat, rabbit, iguana, etc. But if you are looking for cat-specific recommendations, check out the Zero Waste Nerd’s blog post on the “Zero Waste Cat”.
Food
Purchasing dog food with a low ecological footprint is important in this journey, but remember to do what works for you and your pet. Bulk dog food isn’t an option where I live, so I searched for dog food that came in a recyclable bag. I was so happy to transition Toby from his Iams dog food (sold in a plastic-lined bag that goes into the landfill) to Wellness (sold in a bag recycled through a Terracycle program). But his little tummy wasn’t a fan of the Wellness food. So after giving Wellness a three-month try, we switched back to Iams (for now) and currently reuse the dog food bag for household duties. I still have hope that we can find an alternative dog food brand for Toby.
Here are some thoughts on low waste/zero waste dog food:
- Make your own. Lot’s of recipes for homemade dog food are available online. If you find one you like, please comment below with the recipe.
- Buy in bulk when possible. This isn’t an option where I live in Minneapolis, but hopefully you have a dog food bulk option near you.
- Wellness brand is recyclable for free through a Terracycle program. This is what I did for a 3-month stint and it worked out great.
- The Honest Kitchen is brand that has packaging that is recyclable curbside in most cities.
Treats
Treats are available in bulk at most major Pet Food stores, including: PetCo, PetsSmart, Chuck and Don’s, and even the local Co-Ops. These same stores often carry package-free bones and antlers as well. If you only have pre-packaged treats available to you, try to purchase ones in cardboard packaging and not plastic.
Poop bags
If you are anything like me, I used to use regular plastic bags for picking up my dogs poop. But now I know that all of those plastic bags containing organic waste are sitting in the landfill, not decomposing. So I have transitioned to using biodegradable poop bags. There are many brands out there, but I can personally vouch for BiogBag.
If you want to/can go the extra mile, you can set-up a dog waste only composting bin. These bins are often buried in the ground and help keep pet waste out of the landfill.
Toys
Toby absolutely loves toys of any type; balls, stuffed animals, rope, etc. When purchasing toys for your dog, check out your local thrift store for good secondhand options. I now shop for Toby’s toys exclusively at Goodwill, where I can purchase a stuffed animal for under $1 and no new resources need to be used for the creation of his toy. If you want to purchase a new toy, look for toys made out of natural and organic fibers, like hemp.
