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Dogs are among the most popular pets in the US. About 44 million American households own a dog, totaling nearly 73 million pet dogs. Within the $40 billion pet industry, dog owners spend on everything from food and supplements to toys and accessories to grooming and walking services.

Given that dogs are man's best friend, a widespread movement is in place to ensure that dogs are earth-friendly as well. What humans can green, so can dogs (with humans acting on their behalf, of course). And it doesn't stop at buying cookies made from organic chicken, botanical flea remedies, and biodegradable corn-based poop bags. In addition to making earth-smart consumer choices when it comes to caring for your pooch, it's also crucial to have them spayed or neutered to curb stray dog populations and keep abandoned animals out of shelters.

The green kibble movement

According to American Pet Product Manufacturers Association (APPMA) estimates, in 2007 pet owners spent $16.1 billion on pet food—39 percent of total pet expenses. Dog owners spent upwards of $215 per year on food alone.[1]

Non-natural or non-organic brands of pet food contain factory farm-raised meat, a process that adversely effects many different aspects of the environment, such as manure and fertilizer runoff polluting water systems, introducing antibiotics and growth hormones into natural ecosystems, and releasing methane, a greenhouse gas, into to the atmosphere. Additionally, many pet foods contain chemical preservatives such as BHT, BHA, or ethoxyquin. They also contain low grade meat by-products including organs and bones, as well as fillers from oats, wheat, flour, or corn, which have little nutritional value for dogs.

The 2007 pet food recall

Many consumers (pet-owning and not) are aware of the widespread pet food recall of March 2007. Menu Foods, Inc. recalled 60 million cans of pet food that were produced at two different plants between Dec 3, 2006 and Mar 6, 2007.[2] Two more pet food companies later recalled some of their products as well. Melamine, a small molecule containing nitrogen and usually used for industrial purposes, was detected in wheat gluten that was traced back to a Chinese supplier. Traces of melamine were also detected in the kidneys and urine of deceased cats, linking the contaminant to their deaths.

Scoop that poop

What goes into your dog obviously affects what comes out. Not pretty to think about, but the average dog in the US excretes about 274 pounds of waste a year.[3] Dog waste has bacteria and other contaminants that can run off into local waterways and diminish water quality. Picking up waste in biodegradable bags and throwing it in the trash allows the waste to more quickly decompose once it reaches a landfill. Alternatively, it's possible to compost dog waste provided the compost is not used to fertilize anything for human consumption.

Your pooch and flea prevention

Every year Americans spend over 1 billion dollars fighting against fleas and ticks, often using products that contain toxic nerve poisons.[4] Case in point: following reports of 7,000 pet illnesses and as many as 12 pet deaths over three years, pet product goliath Hartz Mountain Corporation agreed to phase out flea and tick repellent products containing high concentrations of the pesticide phenothrin. Cats were observed to be particularly sensitive to the chemical. The products were completely phased out by March 2006.[5] A similar incident involving Hartz occurred in 1987.

Glossary

• BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole): A chemical preservative found in butter, cereals, and beer, among other foods, to prevent fats from becoming rancid.
• BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene): A chemical preservative used to prevent oxidation of foods allowing them to keep their color, odor and taste longer. The US has banned its use in infant foods but it is found in shortening and cereals and also in dog food.
• ethoxyquin: A pesticide and food preservative that is used in small doses to preserve spices for human consumption, but is allowed in much larger doses for livestock feed and dog food.

External links

• Pets For The Environment
• BusinessWeek - A Growing Appetite for Healthy Pet Food
• The Humane Society of the United States - The Crisis of Pet Overpopulation
• Animal Protection Institute - Get the Facts: What's Really in Pet Food, Animal Protection Institute
• BARk Magazine - Green Living Tips: "The Modern Dog Culture Magazine" features tips on how to make your home more earth- and dog-friendly.