Sustainable Dog Ownership

[Camilla and Darwin]

Hi everyone! Well, my school semester is coming to a close and I have finished many of my final projects. A while ago, I had to write a scientific paper on a topic of my choice. My major is Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Sustainable Systems, so I knew I wanted to tie that in with my greatest love - my dog. :-) 

I have heard a lot from people in my college about the issues of pet ownership in the scope of sustainability. In general - owning a dog is not good for the environment. I knew that there had to be some good ways to improve your dog's foot print so I set out to find them. I thought I'd post my paper here- in case it was interesting or useful to anyone. 

Keep in mind - this is my first scientific paper. I put a lot of work into finding credible sources and sounding clear and professional, but I'm a rookie so any suggestions or comments are welcome - you won't hurt my feelings! :-)

Making Dog Ownership Sustainable

A study done by the American Pet Products Association from 2011-2012 found that 39% of American households are dog owners. (humanesociety.org, 2011) Dogs are a very fitting companion for people, and many of us have experienced the joys of Dog ownership.

It is estimated that it takes 2.1 acres of land to feed a medium sized dog.  If an SUV covered 10,000km it would use just over 1 acre (Ravilious, 2009). Could it be true that owning a dog more taxing on the environment than driving an SUV? (Netter, 2009) If so, is it possible to make dog ownership more sustainable? The answer is yes, and there are many simple changes that will benefit you, your dog, and the environment.

Pet Food:

If you take a closer look at pet foods that you will at your local pet store, many will be manufactured outside of the US, or contain ingredients manufactured outside of the US. The vast majority of these foods and ingredients, 70%, come from China. (petfoodindustry.com, 2011)

In March of 2007, there was a pet food recall involving Melamine in pet food that caused sickness and death in cats and dogs. Melamine is an industrial chemical that is not approved for use in pet food, and when combined with cyanuric acid can cause kidney failure in cats and dogs. (fda.gov, 2010) In addition to these concerns, think of how far imported ingredients that go into commercial dog foods are traveling. In 2008 alone, it is estimated that the US imported up to 400million tons of CO2 in imports from China. (Chameides, 2011)

 Fortunately, there are commercial dog foods available that are more sustainable. With research and attention to detail, you can find commercial pet foods that have addressed many of these concerns. One such company, Orijen has taken many steps to increase their sustainability.  Located in Alberta Canada, Orijen uses proteins that are sustainably farmed, ranched or fished from within their region. (orijen.ca)

One of the most sustainable ways to feed your pet is to home cook their meals. A diet of organic and local bones, meat and vegetables is a healthy and balanced way to feed your dog. Choosing this option gives you the greatest control over what you feed your pet, and ensures that your pet’s food will not contain harmful chemicals or preservatives. Feeding locally grown organic foods increases both the sustainability and nutrition of your dog’s meal. A dog has many nutritional requirements, so home cooked meals should be carefully balanced and complete in calories and nutrients. Here are some sources to get you started

Barker's Grub : Easy, Wholesome Home-Cooking for Dogs by Rudy Edalati

http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjhomemade3.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/dining/19pets.html?pagewanted=1&a...

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/homemade-dog-food

http://rogcad.com/homecooked/index.htm

 

Toys and Treats:

Commercial dog treats are widely available and inexpensive, but involve many of the same issues, both health and sustainability wise, as commercial dog food. Like home cooked meals, homemade treats can be a great alternative to buying premade treats for your dogs. There are many healthy and low cost recipes for dog treats, many of which are quick and simple to make.

In addition, dehydrated organic foods like chicken, beef or sweet potatoes make excellent and healthy treats. Even more simple, raw vegetables can be excellent treats for your dog. Here are some sources for finding homemade treat recipes

http://classic.akc.org/enewsletter/yourakc/2004/november/dog_feast.cfm

The Healthy Dog Cookbook written by Jonna Anne with Mary Straus (Canine Nutritionist) and Shawn Messonnier, DVM, Veterinary Consultant.

The following is a recipe for healthy and simple dog treats, from Anne, Straus and Messonnier (pg. 22-23)

Liver Brownies

1 lb beef livers

3 tbsp peanut butter

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup barley

Cook barley according to package instructions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Puree livers in food processor and mix in peanut butter

In separate bowl mix together flour and barley and add to liver mixture.

Pour into 9 x 9 inch pan and bake for 20 minutes.  Makes about 12 brownies.

Dog toys can be expensive and easily destroyed. In addition, many are imported from China and other countries, which as mentioned above, contribute to carbon emissions. Luckily it’s very easy to make simple toys out of used items. Knotting a sock or an old piece of rope can make an excellent tug toy. One of the best chew toys is a deer or elk antler. They can help prevent tartar on your pet’s teeth and depending on where you live, can be found from local pet shops or even from friends and family who hunt.

Pet waste

Rather than using pet waste bags that will sit in a land fill, why not choose a biodegradable bag instead? Simply reusing old pieces of newspaper can also be a more sustainable option. Pet waste can also be composted and used as fertilizer for non-edible plants.

http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/composting/environmenta...

Spay/Neuter and Adoption

One of the most important factors to dog ownership is spaying or neutering your dog. (americahumane.org).The spay/neuter surgery is inexpensive, usually between $40-100 at your local shelter, and often they will include the surgery with the adoption fee. This surgery will avoid unplanned pregnancy, a contributing factor to the homeless pet problem. The spay/neuter surgery has behavioral benefits as well. Spaying your female dog will prevent distress, crying and mess when your dog is in her heat cycle.

When looking for a new dog, many consider adoption.  It’s estimated that 3.4 million pets are euthanized each year because they are unable to find adoptive homes. (americahumane.org). With the large amount of homeless dogs in shelters, there are so many dogs to choose from when it comes to age, breed and temperament. Another benefit to adoption is that adopting an older dog can bypass the inconveniences of puppyhood, including teething and housetraining. You also get a better idea of the temperament, age and health of an adult dog than a puppy.

 

Sustainable pet activities

When we go on trips we often want to bring our dogs with us. Locations like national parks and other outdoor recreation areas can seem especially appropriate. It is important to take the proper precautions however, to avoid unintentional damage to the environment. A study done in the Golden Gate Recreation Area in California between 1992-1995 found that gray foxes had increased incidents of canine-parvovirus in areas that they were potentially exposed to humans and domestic dogs (Riley, Foley, Chomel, 2004).

A good way to avoid having your dog spread disease to the surrounding wildlife is to make sure your dog is up to date on vaccinations. Another good thing to remember is to be aware of rules. Only bring your dog into areas that allow dogs, keep your dog on leash in leash only areas, and always remember to pick up after your dog.

References

(http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/pet-dogs-damaging-environment-suvs...    

http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-...

Anne, Jonna, Mary Straus and Shawn Messonnier The Healthy Dog Cookbook. TFCH Publications inc., 2008. Print.

http://blogs.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/us-carbonexports/ 

http://classic.akc.org/enewsletter/yourakc/2004/november/dog_feast.cfm

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals...

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ow...

http://www.jwildlifedis.org/content/40/1/11.full.pdf+html

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427311.600-how-green-is-you...

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/freshRegionalIngredients/

http://www.petfoodindustry.com/US_petfood_import_and_export_trends....

Thank you to Jane and Karen for the help - I owe you guys!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Camilla, you did a fantastic job on your term project!  Looks like an "A" to me!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Great job and very interesting read! I bet you are relieved to be completing your projects!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This is awesome, Camilla!!!!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Good job Camilla!

Karen I think APA stands for A Pain in the A**

[F, Calla & Luca]

Clever girl. With all this spacing it must be a big A**.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Um, yes that is right. :-)

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Very interesting paper! I'd like to know more about the newspaper poop bags. Is it just better to use newspaper and brown paper bags in the trash than plastic? I clean my yard every morning with plastic-one to pick up and one to throw in but now I'm thinking ill change to newspaper and brown paper bags.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I think the idea is that you are reusing something you already have, rather than buying plastic dog poop bags.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

good paper! It made me remember i said long ago, that once i owned my own home i was going to buy a dog poop septic system..... I bought a house this january, so now is the time to get one (now the snow is finally melting!)

http://www.amazon.com/Dooley-3000-Septic-Tank-Style-Pet-Waste-Dispo...

[Camilla and Darwin]

Cool!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We had one and it was a total FAILURE.  Perhaps because we had more than one dog.  It used lots of chemicals and quit degrading the poop after not to long.  The plants in the surrounding area also died.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Good to know Nancy... bummer.