Guide To Eco-Friendly Dog Products In The UK
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Looking to provide sustainable dog care for your pooch? Darcy Matheson, author of Greening Your Pet Care, discusses how to reduce your dog’s carbon paw print, alongside recommendations for the best eco-friendly dog products in the UK.
Many of us go to great lengths to reduce our own carbon emissions by recycling, using public transport, and buying organic fruits and vegetables. However, few pet owners consider the enormous “carbon pawprint” their companion animal leaves on the environment.
Researchers in New Zealand recently found that the average medium-sized dog has a carbon footprint roughly twice the size of an SUV driven 10,000 kilometres a year. Cats weren’t much better, occupying the same footprint as a small Volkswagen.
Between their meaty diets and the poop they leave behind, pets are big polluters. There’s also all the treats, bedding, clothes, toys, and supplies we lavish on them. Thankfully, there are easy ways to care for your dog and products you can buy to make your dog’s life a little more eco-friendly.
The Best Eco-Friendly Dog Products To Care For Your Pooch Sustainably
The following tips on eco-friendly dog care and products are from my book, ‘Greening Your Pet Care’. This provides simple, everyday steps to lower your pet’s carbon footprint:
Use Eco-Friendly Dog Poop Bags
A staggering amount of dog waste is created each year. At least 97,000 tonnes of poo is left in parks in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada, alone. It’s a massive environmental issue if it’s not cleaned up. This is because the bacteria in faeces leach into the ground and water sources. This then contaminates lakes and rivers, drinking water sources, and hurts fish and other marine life.
The solution, however, is simple: clean that sh*t up. Contrary to conventional wisdom, rain doesn’t actually wash it away. Therefore, the environmentally-friendly solution is always to scoop the poop.
Recycled plastic poop bags tend to make the most sense for both practicality and the planet.
This is because while compostable or biodegradable bags might sound greener, they don’t always break down as promised. Compostable versions only work in very specific industrial composting facilities, and in most areas, dog waste isn’t even accepted in those systems. Otherwise, they end up in landfill, where the lack of oxygen means they sit for years, just like regular plastic.
Recycled plastic bags, on the other hand, use waste plastic that already exists. This helps to reduce the demand for virgin plastic, while still keeping pavements and parks clean.
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Beco Compostable Dog Poop Bags – from Ethical Superstore (£5.99 for 120 super-strong bags) – are my top product recommendation for eco-friendly dog poop bags.
Extra large and thick, these unscented leakproof bags will protect your hands and cater for all poop sizes. These are made from 40% recycled plastic, which is 44% more energy efficient to manufacture than virgin plastic.
Introduce Eco-Friendly Dog Food
In terms of eco-friendly dog care, it’s important to consider your dog’s diet. Producing meat for pet food consumes vast amounts of land, water, and resources.
What’s more, cattle production is the most polluting and environmentally draining of them all. Lamb is a close second. The UN estimates livestock production is responsible for 14.5% of all CO2 emissions worldwide.
Instead of choosing beef-based kibble or wet food, switch to a food whose primary protein is something with a smaller carbon footprint. Chicken, turkey, sheep, or sustainably harvested fish are lower-carbon alternatives. There are also a host of vegan dog food alternatives available.
The same goes for treats. Look for grain, cereal, or fish-based treats instead of those sourced with beef.
Making slight changes in your pet’s diet will go a long way to reduce how much they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. With more than $23 billion spent on pet food last year, your individual choice can add up to a big difference.
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Benevo (available at Ethical Superstore from £2.69) offers an easy way to introduce plant-based food to your four-legged friend.
This independent UK brand has been making vegan pet food since 2005. Instead of relying on animal products, Benevo uses plant-based alternatives to provide all the essential nutrients that pets need to stay healthy.
Its range includes complete wet dog food, puppy food, chews, and tasty treats, all made without meat, and which meet and exceed nutritional requirements.
Every product is approved by the Vegan Society, Vegetarian Society, and PETA. Benovo’s commitment to ethics has even won them the Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Award, as well as scoring the maximum 100/100 from Ethical Consumer Magazine.
Opt For A Sustainable Dog Food Bowl
Tonnes of pet products made from plastics end up being trashed in landfill each year. These non-renewable materials can also be a danger to your health and that of your pet.
Inexpensive plastic pet products, including toys, beds, feeding dishes, and clothes, can contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This is a chemical classified as a human carcinogen and a danger to animal health by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For feeding bowls, opt for stainless steel, which is long-lasting and durable, and can be repurposed or recycled at your local household recycling centre if it breaks. Alternatively, opt for recycled plastic for a more environmentally friendly approach to feeding time.
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Beco Pet’s dog bowl (from £9.99) is a top choice when it comes to eco-friendly dog food bowls.
Made with 97% recycled plastic, this sustainable dog bowl by Beco has a wide base. It also has a non-slip rim to keep the bowl securely in place. This means your dog bowl won’t end up on the other side of the room!
Beco also donates 1% of sales to projects restoring and preserving the natural world.
Look Out For Eco-Friendly Dog Toys
When it comes to dog toys, look for toys and other eco-friendly dog products made from natural and sustainable materials. Think organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, untreated wood, and wicker.
Items made from canvas and natural rubber are also sustainable and tough, reducing the odds that your pup will destroy them.
There are also many great manufacturers making great strides to divert plastic from our landfills by creating stylish and eco-friendly dog products. These include plush toys made using recycled plastic.
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Beco Pets has a great eco-conscious line of durable dog toys. These are locally sourced and made from environmentally responsible materials, including recycled plastic.
This durable and vegan-friendly dog toy (£11.99 from Ethical Superstore), for example, has a natural rubber ball, harvested from the trunk of rubber trees. This is super tough and has natural elasticity, making it great for dog toys.
As it’s made from natural rubber, it’s more sustainable than virgin plastic that’s derived from fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, the silky soft but strong recycled cotton rope makes it easy to throw – ideal for a more sustainable game of fetch.
Choose Natural Chew Toys
Plastic chew toys are great to keep your pups entertained and occupied. This lets them satisfy their natural desire to chomp without destroying your shoes or furniture.
However, if you’ve ever watched a dog rip one apart, you’ll agree most end up in the bin after being destroyed. Plastic products like Nylabone can also create dangerous intestinal blockages if large pieces are ingested.
For more eco-friendly dog care, opt for a tougher and longer-lasting “green” chew made from natural rubber.
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Made from natural rubber, Kong Toys (available at Pets at Home from £7) are a great eco-friendly solution for even the heartiest chewers in your life.
They come in a variety of sizes to suit every breed of dog – from tiny Chihuahuas through to extra large dogs.
They’re also great stuffed with peanut butter and treats, to use for crate training puppies and reducing separation anxiety in nervous dogs.
Try Out Green Dog Grooming Products
The chemicals, synthetic colours, and fragrances added to most dog shampoos, conditioners, and grooming products can contain pesticides and suspected carcinogens.
These ingredients can cause major skin irritation for your pup. This can include redness, painful hot spots, itchiness, and rashes. These chemicals also hurt local waterways when they’re flushed down the drain.
Instead, seek out formulations that are biodegradable and free of parabens and synthetic fragrances. Also, look for products that use organic ingredients wherever possible. Avoid what I call the “foul four’: DEA (diethanolamine), SLS (sodium Laureth sulfate), BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), and synthetic colours and fragrances.
There is a wealth of naturally-scented, eco-friendly dog hygiene products available now that work hard without putting your pet’s health and the environment at risk.
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Faith In Nature’s Eco Dog Shampoo (£7.99 at Pets At Home) is a gentle, plant-based way to keep your dog’s coat clean and healthy.
Specially pH-balanced for dogs and puppies over six weeks old, it’s made with calming essential oils alongside vitamin E to promote a glossy, healthy coat.
Like the rest of Faith In Nature’s range, this vegan shampoo is cruelty-free, made with naturally derived ingredients, and fragranced only with 100% natural scents. Established back in 1974, the brand has long believed in using the power of nature without causing harm, and as a certified B Corp, it meets rigorous standards for social and environmental responsibility.
The shampoo comes in a variety of different scents – such as chamomile, lavender, and coconut. And for those looking to cut down on plastic waste, it’s also available in handy 5L refill bottles.
Adopt, Don’t Shop
Finally, tens of thousands of wonderful companion animals are euthanised each year in UK shelters, so by adopting, you are saving that pet from death while freeing up space for another one to be taken in. Think of adopting as “the ultimate recycling.”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that there are only mutts and old pets in shelters. The Humane Society says a full 25% of the shelter population is purebred.
Start your pet search at local animal shelters and rescues. If you have your heart set on a certain breed, reach out to breed-specific rescues in your area. These groups are focused on re-homing unwanted, abandoned, and homeless pets of a particular pure breed.
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Thank you for sharing such helpful resources! I can’t wait to try some of these products out. As a new dog mom, I am struggling to find natural dog toys and products. I finally found a carpet cleaner who has a natural method for pet urine removal which has been a godsend! Anyway, thank you for sharing your advice, you’re so inspiring.
What a great article. Some really interesting ideas and plenty of thought for thought. I’ll definitely be adopting some of these ideas into my day to day life.
Not sure why you keep deleting my comment when it’s a perfectly valid point. There is a far greater impact to the environment in having a child than owning a dog and BOTH are a choice. So people moralising about why people shouldn’t own a dog because it’s bad for the environment while they have children is a nonsense.
It wasn’t your point I disagreed with – everyone is entitled to their own opinion – but let’s keep things respectful.
Really interesting article. Number 2 on the list is quite important for me too. Thank you for sharing.
Cheers.
Thanks so much for featuring me on your awesome blog. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about eco-friendly pet care!
Ooh this book looks interesting. We always scoop the poop, you’ve got to :)
Our pup’s favourite toy – an old bit of fleece. I’m going to try and make another pull toy out of old tshirts that would be going to rag. Not sure Chop could go full veggie but he does love his peanut butter and carrots so that’s a start!
This is a really great idea Steph! We also do “stuffie hospital” at our house — which just means sewing up old toys to make them new again. I also find putting an old plastic water bottle into a sock and knotting the end makes a great, safe chew toy that also diverts bottles from the landfill.
Re point 2: You can go a step further and get vegetarian/vegan dog foods. Dogs are okay to eat vegetarian diets (whereas cats are not). A quick online search brings up the different brands.