There are many people who believe that pets are bad for the environment. They say they create too much waste, cause pollution with their fur and food, and harm wildlife. However, there is a debate about whether or not this is true. On one hand animals have an impact on the natural world because of their own existence- but then again so do humans! So it’s really hard to tell if pets are more harmful than helpful when it comes to the environment. What do you think?
How Pets Affect the Environment and Whether
Pets can contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Allergens, carbon dioxide, dander, and methane gas are released by pets both directly and indirectly. By having more pets in general (such as hamsters or small birds), this may also lead to more people owning vehicles, like cars or bikes for example, increasing the amount of emissions due to transport sources. Some pet owners may even need to take public transportation which has an indirect impact on emissions. One study found that cats produce about 30% of all objectional allergens in homes with one cat (Klesges et al., 1997). To reduce their impact on the environment, some pet owners may have recourse to exercising their pets inside or using medication such as allergy shots.
Some animals, like cows for example, produce methane during digestion; this is released into the atmosphere and through exhaust pipes of cars (EPA, 2014). Dogs also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions because their food has ingredients that are derived from livestock products like meat byproducts or bone meal (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012). Allergens can cause structural damage in homes. The dander makes homes dirty which requires cleaning services, more energy usage for air conditioning systems to clean the air inside the home so fur doesn’t pile up on objects or furniture, or hiring someone to clean carpets more often. After all these expenditures it contributes about 1/8 of total US agricultural activity due to animal feeding operations needed just for pets.
This means that a small pet such as a canary will need to consume about 20 pounds of feed annually, while a big dog may require 100 pounds or more per year (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012). In California alone it is estimated that there are about 7 million cats and dogs which amounts to around 500 million pounds of pet food per year. Since animal agriculture is responsible for up to 18% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012), the amount of livestock required for feeding all these pets will result in even more problems. This also leads to deforestation since cattle raised for meat consumption need large areas of land; this contributes an additional 17% to greenhouse gas emissions (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012). However, there are solutions to this problem. Some pet owners can buy food that is specifically made to accommodate their pets’ dietary needs, which would decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to animal agriculture.
Some people may argue that having pets can actually help reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they are working animals that may perform tasks during rescue missions in disasters or certain outdoor activities. Pets have helped in tracking scents for police investigations or finding drugs, explosives, bed bugs etc., but these tasks don’t require much effort and only a few dogs are actually capable of performing them (Crouse et al., 2001). Although some breeds of birds such as chickens and quails eat insects and rodents such as roaches and mice, they are not normally kept as pets. A certain degree of training is necessary for them to perform even the simplest tasks (Crouse et al., 2001). However, there is no scientific research available that pets help in reducing greenhouse gases or pollutants in general by performing rescue missions during disasters, so the benefits aren’t scientifically confirmed.
So what can we do to help the environment when it comes to owning a pet? The answer is simple: adopt from your local animal shelter or rescue group! Yes, you will still need to feed them daily but this way they don’t add an extra carbon footprint by using up food resources! And if you cannot afford a pet then volunteer at your local animal shelter because there is always benefits in going green. Even if one person recycles or gets solar panels on their house, that is a step in the right direction.
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Connor Pet Health – we know that keeping our pets happy, healthy and engaged is extremely important part of all of our lives. That’s why I put together to put together my thoughts on how we can go about keeping our best friend healthy in this day and age. This blog brings to you news about pet health, treatments and therapies, inspiring stories, expert advice, and much more to help you – and your fur baby – live your healthiest life every day.
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