by kate |
As most of you know we just got ourselves a new puppy! So, we are experimenting with ways to be Eco-Friendly Pet owners. But dogs aren’t the only pets who can be eco-conscious. Consider some of the following tips for cats, birds, fish, ferrets, pigs, horses, billy goats, anything you would domesticate!
- Where you do you plan to get your pet? For example, it isn’t considered environmentally friendly to kidnap a fish from your local swimming hole to your fish bowl, but it may be helpful build a habitat in your backyard to provide an ecological haven for some residential friends of the turtle, fish, and aviator variety. As for cats and dogs, check out Petfinder.com to see what shelters in your area might have to offer, but remember, the SPCA and your humane society have tons of animals ready for their forever home – so consider visiting directly. As for Rigby, we found her from a family in the neighborhood who was trying to find homes for their litter before bringing them to the shelter, so consider rescuing a pet before they have to be brought to a shelter. One note: be sure to research where your pet is coming from and consider what you are promoting when making your choice, it is not a really great idea to be a financial contributor to an organization that believes in exploitation and essentially animal slavery…
- An Animal’s Gotta Eat. What kind of food should you feed your little furry friend? Consider a nutrition that is organic. Just like people food, the more natural the diet, the better it is. Hormones and pesticides can have a horrible effect on your animal’s immune system and overall health, so be sure to check the list of ingredients when making your purchase. It is ambitious to vow to make your dog’s food homemade, but consider it if you are able. Otherwise, we have started Rigby on an purchased dog food with limited preservatives and animal byproducts. For more information on your dog’s nutrition, check out this free dog food report. For a great homemade biscuit recipe, scroll down!
- Pets are Creatures of Play: Which is why they are going to look to you to provide them with toys that are good for them and good to the earth. Consider what the toys are made of, will they break down once your animal has destroyed them to threads, is the stuffing harmful to your animals digestion? The Ultimate Green Store is a great resource for all things your pet may need, from collars & leashes to hemp rope toys and crunchy critters made from plastic bottles.
There are tons of other ways to green your pet, consider their elimination station, their sleeping grounds, and of course, how much nature they get to experience! Enjoy your pets, and by helping them be green, you are making a better Earth around them. Have a great day!
Dog Food Recipe: Treats for your Pooch, Whole Wheat Dog Biscuits by Allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
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Directions:
| 1. | Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet. |
| 2. | In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, cornmeal and salt. Mix in the oil, egg and water to make a soft dough that is not too sticky. You may add more flour if needed. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. |
| 3. | Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until nicely browned and firm. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container |
Want to see the footprint your pet is making, use the Carbon pet calculator.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I think that should be 1tsp salt, not 1 tablespoon–1 tablespoon would be a LOT of salt per 3 cups dry meal. Also consider enhancing the biscuits by using liver water, chicken fat/chicken broth or other homemade broth in place of the water/veggie oil. If using canned chicken or beef broth, DO NOT ADD ADDITIONAL salt. The canned broth is extremely salty!!!
Thanks Maria, I just went back to re-read the recipe on Allrecipes.com and it does call for 1 Tablespoon of salt. However, I totally agree that the lesser amount of salt is probably best for any pooches belly. Especially considering all the additional salt that a manufacturer places in their products. Thanks again! Look forward to your visits in the future!
Maybe whoever typed it in Allrecipes got it wrong. TBSP and TSP are pretty close in “spelling” and might have been a fat-finger mistake. No way would I put a tablespoon of salt in a recipe that small. Of course, unlike humans, if it is too salty, the dog would refuse to eat it…most likely!
My dogs would eat a bowl of salt if it were available! The pigs. I also wanted to add that a good, inexpensive and good for them treat is green beans! Use the canned unsalted kind, drain and rinse (because there is still salt there – in fact, when you use canned veggies of any kind you should drain and rinse them to reduce your own salt intake). The dogs love them! I had a friend who had an overweight dog and she would mix green beans in with their food as a lowfat filler and it worked very well (was suggested by her vet).
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