5 Ecological Alternatives To Take Care Of Our Pets

According to the organization “White mountain”, the ecological footprint around pet care is increasing, given that the number of families who decide to take care of an animal has increased; especially in Latin America, where the pet population for 2018 exceeded 187 million animals, with dogs and cats being the most popular.

In this sense, the trend of having an animal at home has been changing the consumption habits of millions of families, who in their interest of caring for their respective pets carry out a series of actions that generate a negative impact on the environment.

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Therefore, many ecological alternatives have emerged around the problem, which has led to the identification of vital points for the transition from unsustainable practices to environmentally friendly actions. LatinAmerican Post lists the ecological alternatives that have been identified in pet care to date:

1. No more plastic bags or containers.

The first suggestion comes from the discourse of zero plastics on the planet. Unfortunately, pet care has increased the use of this material, since the use of plastic bags is the most used method for the collection of feces. Likewise, it has been identified that a high percentage of concentrate and food is packaged in plastic containers, which aggravates the situation that the world is experiencing in relation to the degradation of this material and the contamination that this implies for the planet's water sources.

Consequently, the advice issued by various ecological sources is directed so that people substitute the use of plastic bags for newspaper or biodegradable bags. In the same way, to contribute to the initiatives to reduce plastics, it is important to understand that there are ecological food brands, which pack their products in materials other than plastic. Therefore, it is essential that at the time of purchase of food, the owners select the products packaged in ecological materials.

2. Ecological or traditional toys

Pet fun is an important topic for everyone. However, we must be careful in the selection of the products that we buy so that our pets have fun, since it has been identified that the manufacture of some generates a harmful impact on the environment.

Several eco-friendly organizations have pointed out that a high percentage of pet toys are made of plastic or other non-biodegradable materials. They also point out that technological innovation has put on the market a series of attractive electronic devices for our pets to have fun, but with negative impacts on the environment due to the energy consumption they require.

For that reason, an ecological alternative can be found in traditional or ecological toys, which can be designed by ourselves, reusing materials or objects that no longer have an end for us, such as; socks, ropes and wooden elements. Likewise, we can buy second-hand accessories and toys, all in order to give a longer use to the accessories designed for our pets.

3. Ecological hygiene products.

Ecological awareness has influenced all industries in the world, causing the emergence of ecological alternatives in all productive areas. The industry dedicated to the manufacture of hygiene products has not been exempt from this trend; For this reason, it is increasingly common to find hygiene items free of chemicals that are harmful to the planet on the market.

So, when choosing hygiene products for our pets, it is important to review the information of the products that we are going to buy, since it is essential to recognize the ingredients in shampoos or liquid soaps, in order to care to our pets, and through that decision to support the ecological initiatives that appear in the market.

According to National Geographic, bar soaps and artisan soaps can be a good alternative to replace those products made with chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

4. Environmentally friendly accessories

Having a dog or a cat gives responsibilities since they have a series of needs that must be satisfied with our help. Feeding and exercising them are actions that are part of this responsibility; Therefore, the choice of leashes, harnesses, collars, drinkers and feeders must be responsible and ecological.

Currently, there are eco-friendly products such as stainless steel drinkers and dining rooms. Likewise, in the manufacture of leashes, harnesses, and collars we find that materials such as leather, wool, hemp, and organic fibers have been replacing plastic, turning these options into ecological alternatives that are friendly to the environment.

Don't forget one very common issue that every pet parent has to deal with, dog shedding! Your place will be covered in dog hair they shed. Also, imagine how much dog fur will stick to your clothes after you groom your dog. Schedule a vacuum machine to vacuum for you, or use slipcovers to protect your furniture from stains and dog furs. What about the clothes? The best way to remove pet hair from your clothes is to use a pet hair remover for laundry, especially if you have a large family and do a lot of laundry. It is much more eco-friendly than using any chemicals to remove dog fur from your clothes, and it prevents clumping and jamming in your washing machine.

5. Adoption

Although this advice is not directed purely to the care of our pets, we consider that this practice is the best option to help the environment. Initially, the decision to link an animal to our family should be understood as a small contribution to ecosystems, since it contributes to the well-being of a group of living beings close to humans.

For the Hendrix Genetics company, animal welfare is key to guaranteeing sustainability in the world, since it generates a balance in ecosystems. Based on this idea, it has been understood that adopting vulnerable animals is another sustainable method that is available to any common citizen interested in caring for the environment.