A few months back I was shocked to hear that owning a dog has an ecological impact similar to that of owning a car. New Zealanders Brenda and Robert Vale, authors of Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, claim that a large size dog is responsible for more emissions than an SUV. A little more personal research revealed that many have disputed the data, taking issues with the figures involved in calculating this conclusion and with the fact that pet food is often made from scrap meat of a lower grade than what humans consume, which might otherwise be wasted
Nevertheless, it raises important issues with pet ownership. We often go out of our way to buy fresh, organic foods for our selves and our families, but feed our pets the typical dog chow, produced in potentially questionable ways and loaded with fats and sugars. Pet waste is often a source of pollution in parks, woodlands, and waterways, and aggressive dogs and cats can greatly deplete local wildlife. And in the United States pet obesity is on the rise, so much that veterinary professionals have come together to for the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Not only are dogs consuming energy, they’re often over-consuming.
This is not to say that we should all give up pet owning, but rather that it should be just another aspect of life where we become aware of our consumption. Some sources suggest having smaller pets such as fish, rodents, or cats or offsetting your pet’s impact by engaging in other energy saving practices (eating vegetarian, biking instead of driving, etc). Carefully monitoring your pets’ caloric intake to make sure they aren’t being overfed, picking up after them, and keeping them leashed in outdoor areas are other good ideas for reducing impact.
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