At Petplan we know the importance of responsible pet ownership and understand you want the best for them.
Of course in our daily lives we want the best for our fury friends but appreciate we all want to do our bit for the planet too – and that means keeping the carbon pawprint of our pets as low as possible too! Owning a dog has multiple environmental impacts, from the food your pet eats to the waste they produce. Read on for our top tips on more sustainable pet ownership.
Walk more and drive less with your dog
Car use is a major contributor to carbon emissions, so take inspiration from your dog, and go for walkies! The good news is that dog owners already tend to take more short walking trips than non-owners. Choosing to walk your dog straight from the front door, rather than jumping in the car for short trips to the park, will also help reduce your carbon footprint.
Use compostable or biodegradable dog poo bags
Look for dog poo bags that are labelled compostable or biodegradable, so they won’t add to the world’s plastic waste. Biodegradable bags are made from any material that will degrade and decompose over time, leaving no polluting residues. Bags that are certified compostable are not only biodegradable, but should break down in as little as three months, given the right conditions for composting. Also, as a Petplan customer you can benefit from a 20% discount on a range of eco-friendly pet products by using the code PETPLAN20: Eco Green Living* ‘Terms and Conditions apply
Look for sustainable dog food packaging
what our pets eat is one of the biggest contributions to their carbon pawprint. You can look for brands that come in recyclable packaging: cardboard containers, compostable bags and aluminium tins are all widely recycled in local rubbish collections. Some brands offer a variety of dog foods that come in fully recyclable packaging, and use produce from British farms to keep food miles down. Or look out for pet stores and zero-waste stores that offer loose dog food that you can buy in the quantities you need, and carry home in your own containers.
Shop smarter
Buying dog food in bulk can often reduce the total amount of packaging waste. Purchasing food in larger quantities can also help you cut down on shopping trips, reducing your transport carbon footprint.
Choose sustainable dog toys and accessories
There’s a wide range of sustainable, recycled or plastic-free dog accessories on the market. Opt for eco-friendly dog toys made with sustainably sourced materials, such as natural rubber balls, hemp rope-pull toys or antler sticks. While you’re at it, you might like to think about your own dog-walking accessories, too. For example, when it’s time to replace your old wellies, why not opt for sustainably sourced rubber boots, instead of synthetic PVC.
Greener dog grooming products
If you tend to choose eco-friendly products for you and your home, don’t forget to do the same for your dog too! You’ll find plenty of dog shampoos and grooming products that harness natural ingredients, are free from harsh chemicals, and/or come in biodegradable or recycled packaging.
Please visit our pet advice pages on petplan.co.uk for more useful content.
*Terms and Conditions:
- To redeem the discount, please add PETPLAN20 into the voucher code section at checkout for 20% off Eco Green Living Compostable Dog Bags.
- The discount is only valid on Eco Green Living Compostable Dog Bags for existing Petplan customers.
- Only one discount code available per Petplan customer to be used only once by that customer.
- The discount is subject to availability of the eligible products, Eco Green Living Compostable Dog Bags
