Earth Day is April 22nd. That’s just around the corner! This is a great time for people to focus on reducing their carbon footprint, and helping preserve and protect our planet and resources. Why not take a few steps to reduce your furry friend’s carbon pawprint? A local Ellicott City, MD vet lists some of them below.
Recycle
Is your cat ignoring that expensive kitty tower you got her? Does Fido refuse to wear his jacket, even when it’s cold. Donate unused items to animal charities or shelters.
Reduce
Buying things like kitty litter and kibble in bulk is one way to conserve resources. You may also want to make the switch from paper towels to microfiber cloths for cleaning.
Reuse
There are many ways that you can upcycle ordinary household items for your pet. An old stepladder can easily become a cat tower. Just add planks to the steps to widen them out, and then wrap the whole thing in carpet or sisal rope. You can turn an old hatbox into a kitty bed, or make a rope toy out of a tee shirt or towel.
Adopt
When you’re ready to bring a new pet into your home, please consider adopting, rather than shopping. There are far too many pets in shelters!
Shop Wisely
When buying products for your pet, opt for things that use renewable resources and earth-friendly packaging and practices. Also, when possible, opt for goods that were made locally. Cutting back on transportation can definitely help! You may also want to get into the habit of using earth-friendly cleaning agents, like detergents and spray cleaners.
Preventative Care
Keeping up with preventative care, such as vaccines and parasite control, also helps. Treating these issues uses many more resources than preventing them!
Spay/Neuter
There are many reasons to get your pet fixed. However, one of the big ones is that this will help prevent unwanted litters, which are a big reason that there is so much pet overpopulation. If your furry pal hasn’t been spayed or neutered yet, we recommend getting this done ASAP.
Clean Up
Did you know that dog feces is a major source of water contamination? Always pick up after your canine buddy.
Please reach out to us, your Ellicott City, MD vet clinic, for all your pet’s veterinary care needs. We are here to help!
