A Letter to Dog Parents
Dear Dog Moms and Dads,
This post is for you. Because you, we know, want the best for your fur friend, and unfortunately sometimes our fluffnuggets aren’t the most eco-friendly. This is a part one to our doggie post, and are going to focus on what happens from head to...tail… aka food, treats, and poop bags!
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Food
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Treats
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Poop bags
1. FOOD
There is a large debate as to what is the best option for dog food. Do you choose organic animal by-products so that then the entire animal gets used and isn’t wasted? Do you choose to completely avoid animal by-products because you want to only give your dog the parts of the animal you’d want to eat but generally has less than awesome packaging? OR do you pick a company that has the best eco friendly packaging? As you might be guessing, it’s a tough decision and most people are more opinionated on what their dog eats than what they put on their own face. So here are our favorite selections for food that’s best for your pup AND for the environment:
- EVANGER’S: Organic Turkey with Potato and Carrots Dinner
- Evanger’s is a family-owned company and produces some of the most eco-conscious dog foods you can buy. Their food isn’t just organic, it’s also locally sourced, AND packed in cans made from 80% recycled steel. The Evanger’s factory is also incredibly eco-conscious and barely creates enough trash to fill a 60-gallon trash can each day.
- ZOE’S PREMIUM: Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
- This company locally sources its ingredients and uses only human-grade meats that are free of antibiotics and hormones. Zoe’s meals come in recyclable, BPA-free, frozen pouches.
- ONLY NATURAL PET: Mindful Meals
- This awesome company is 100% carbon neutral! Their Mindful Meals are sustainable via their usage of free-range meat and sustainably caught fish. They refrain from using anything synthetic, artificial, and avoid fillers and preservatives. On top of all that, they use USDA-certified bio-based plant materials for packaging!
2. TREATS
Who’s a good pet owner...you are! We believe treats should provide just as much goodness/nutrition as they do joy.
- CYCLE DOG
- Based in Portland, this is an earth-friendly pet company who has created the awesome Trail Buddy Treats. These treats are made from 100% beef, chicken, and lamb.
- PLANET DOG EATS
- 100% natural treats that come in two delicious flavors: Pumpkin Pot Pie or PB&J. They use barley flour or rye flower, chicken, whole and vegetables/fruits to optimize digestion.
- WET NOSES
- This Washington-based company has a ton of organic treats, all of which are certified organic and non-GMO. Our suggestion would be to dive into their product menu and pick two flavors you know your pup will love!
- NuHemp Fetch’erz Ballz
- These interactive gourmet treats are made of a blend of hemp meal, whole flax seed and ancient grains for superior nutrition and digestibility.
- Hemp is a great environmentally friendly option as it can grow quickly in almost any environment. AND the packaging is made from 100 percent post-use recycled waste paper fibers.
- Barkwheats dog biscuits
- Barkwheats uses ingredients like parsley, sea vegetables, chamomile, eggs and honey that help treat some common dog ailments like bad breath, gas and anxiety. Most of Barkwheats’ ingredients are produced in Maine.
- We also love that their packaging is eco-friendly, with a 100 percent recycled box and a biodegradable bag made of wood pulp, both which can be composted.
3. POOP BAGS
As it turns out, the word “biodegradable” can be very misleading. According to a press release made by the FTC in 2015, marketers of dog waste bags “may be deceiving consumers with the use of their unqualified ‘biodegradable’ claim.” So...hold on...this all of a sudden sounds confusing (like how Rufus feels when you pretend to throw the ball and trick him into running to find it and silently chuckle to yourself, but then give him the biggest head rubs when Rufus returns, fruitless, from his turn at “go fetch”)
We’ve done the research for you, here’s what we found *insert head rub*
Not all poop bags meet the biodegradable standards set by ASTM International, and do not degrade quickly or safely enough. ASTM D6400 is the criteria at which you want your poop bags to meet because they will actually compost. Here are some companies that fit the criteria:
- BioBag Premium Pet Bags
- Flush Puppies Doodie Bags
- These are the only bags that are flushable
- bioDOGradable bags
- PoopBags
NOW, go take a nice long walk, visit the dog park, and have all your bragging points ready to go as Fido becomes the coolest, eco-friendly dog around!