| Eco Pets: Ecologically Responsible ‘Fur-Child’ Ownership |
| Monday, 25 October 2010 | Heidi Auman, Ph.D. | Blog Entry |
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Neutering wasn’t prevalent—even our family kitty was forced to bear eight litters before being spayed. Recalling that former status quo, I’m dismayed by the lack of concern for our furry, finned and feathered friends. Maybe we simply didn’t know any better back then. We can no longer claim ignorance. Our laissez-faire attitudes have created a plethora of unwanted pets. According to the American Humane Association, 3.7 million animals are euthanized every year, simply for lack of prospective homes. Neutering our fuzzy companions is a one-off cost that not only curbs overpopulation, but also reduces their medical and behavioral problems. One key ecological incentive to stem overpopulation is that dogs and cats produce a significant carbon footprint, mainly due to the environmental paw-print of their diets. Sustainable Living: the Role of Whole Life Costs and Values by Nalanie Mithraratne reveals that a medium-sized dog has twice the environmental footprint, the equivalent of driving an SUV 10,000 km (6,214 miles) per year. Cats, smaller but obligate carnivores, leave a footprint slightly less than a Volkswagen Golf. Mother Nature has perfected the cat’s carnivorous character into a proficient hunting machine with devastating ecological consequences. Exact numbers are hard to source, but cats kill an estimated billion small mammals and hundreds of millions of birds in the United States alone. Feral or domestic, cats displace native predators and may be the leading cause of bird extinctions worldwide after habitat destruction. There are numerous additional reasons to keep kitty indoors, at least at night. Devotion to your fur children need not create a substantial eco-footprint. Holistic, organic, local and more sustainable pet foods, as well as pet care products, are finding their way into major retailers and pet specialty stores, according to Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Pet Care by Carol Frischmann. We can now make intelligent decisions when purchasing environmentally friendly pet food, toys, equipment, beds and shampoos and even for disposal of pet waste. As a child-free couple, my fiancé and I are shamelessly devoted to our fur-child, Freya-Schmeya-Bobeya Littletinybabykitty Tinkerbell Gingerfoot Ringtail von Meerkat. Adopted from the local animal shelter, she is neutered, microchipped, collared, belled and has a personalized ID tag. She dines upon locally sourced, minimally packaged kangaroo meat scraps. All her vaccinations are kept up to date, flea treatments scheduled and her teeth professionally cleaned. We prattle lovingly to her in obsequious falsetto pitches that would drop bats from the sky. Grandma, who has since resigned any hope of our producing real children, knits her sweaters. But it’s all OK because of Freya’s ovary-exploding cuteness factor, which subtly manipulates us to do her bidding. As a cherished family member, we owe her that much. Additional resources:
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Attitudes regarding responsible pet ownership are evolving. Although more recently valued as sentient and treasured fur-children, I remember dogs on 20-foot chains with only a doghouse and food bowl within that permanent muddy circumference. Other dogs roamed free to terrorize other animals and children; I have the maul scars to prove it.
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