It’s irrevocably true that pets are human’s best friends. Not only our furry friends are capable of bringing joy to our lives, make us feel unconditionally loved and much less lonely, and even help with our mental health, but research suggests that they actually have a really high ecological impact on the planet. From first getting a new pet to the way you care for them, you can become more of an eco-friendly pet owner.

Here we selected 3 easy tips to become an eco-friendly pet owner! Remember: change starts with each of us. Do you think you’re ready to start being part of it?

1. Adopt, don’t shop! 

To start things off, to first get a pet you should consider adoption. Adopting a pet literally saves a life. And can you think of a better way to enter the eco-friendly pet parenthood journey than to adopt a sweet animal who needs care and is ready to love you unconditionally?

There are millions of pets in shelters with no home, and a lot of them get euthanized because there’s too little space for them to live. When you adopt instead of a shop, you’re making a statement: you’re fighting against the industry that breeds these pets for-profit and keeps them in awful conditions. By adopting one pet from a shelter, you’re not only just rescuing an animal, but also freeing a lot of resources like food, toys, and medical care to help other animals in need.

2. Buy environmentally-friendly products!

You can choose a more sustainable approach from the food your pet is eating to the toys they’re playing with. 

When choosing pet food, you can either look for sustainable options like natural foods that are chemical-free or, if you have time, make your own food out of fresh ingredients. You can discuss your pet’s diet with a veterinarian to guarantee their health.

When it comes to toys, many of them are made with toxic plastics, chemicals, and dyes. You can choose to play with pets with eco-friendly, non-toxic toys made from sustainable and recyclable materials. Be creative with what you have lying around your house. Your pet doesn’t know the cost of the toys they’re playing with, all they care about is that they’re having fun!

3. Be careful with your pet’s waste!

Cleaning up after your pet is extremely important, whether it poops on the street or uses a litter tray. Small pets like rabbits, hamsters, or birds have harmless poo that is easy to dispose of. When choosing a cat litter, go for natural ones made from safe, renewable materials instead of silica ones. When picking after your dog’s waste, use biodegradable bags instead of plastic ones that sit in landfills for hundreds of years, or even simply flush them down.

Incorporating these tips into your daily life with your pet can be a lot more simple than you might have thought. Real change starts with small steps, so the positive environmental impact you can make when you put it in practice can make the world of a difference.