Why you should switch to sustainable pet products

You might work to reduce your environmental impact by recycling, travelling less by car or even adjusting your own diet. But, do you know that owning a pet can create more carbon emissions than using your household electricity?

From essentials like food, dog bags and cat litter to treats and toys, making the right choices can help you and your pet to reduce your carbon emissions, waste and overall environmental impact.

What impact do pet products have on the planet?

If you love animals of all kinds, then having a pet is a wholesome way to express this love. However, looking after your pet might be causing more damage to other animals’ environments than you may realise.

Just manufacturing the 7.6 billion cat and dog food containers required to feed pets each year produces significant carbon emissions. Handling animal waste is also a problem, with 3.6 billion plastic bags used to pick up dog waste and 200 thousand tonnes of cat waste needing to be removed every year.

These shocking numbers have led many companies in the pet industry to take action, with the majority now looking to improve their sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of their products and supply chains.

We look at a few brands that have taken steps to provide eco-friendly products to the market, doing their bit for the planet.

PitPat:

It’s estimated that an area of agricultural land that’s twice the size of the UK is required to feed the country’s cats and dogs. PitPat food recognised the impact of this demand when its parent company, Josera, started more than 80 years ago.

Since then, they’ve worked hard to source the best ingredients from the most sustainable sources. This means that as well as being delicious, their pet food products have led them to be named the ‘Most Sustainable Brand’ by the Pet Sustainability Coalition awards.

(Our pet influencer, Georgie the Golden Retriever, also loved the samples when she was on their shoot).

Edgard Cooper:

Similarly, the founders of Edgard Cooper were shocked by the impact that the pet food supply chain and packaging was making. To become more sustainable, they’ve set out their Zero Pawprint Plan which aims to reduce their greenhouse gases, achieve closed-loop recycling on their packaging and ensure that their sourcing is 100% ethical.

Plus, they use the most nutritious ingredients and delicious recipes to create treats and food for both dogs and cats. Some of our amazing animal models have also starred in their shoots and they’ve thoroughly enjoyed the samples on offer.

Natusan:

Cat litter creates a huge amount of waste each year. 84% of cat owners recently admitted that they were unaware of the impact that cat litter produces. However, a lack of odour and moisture absorption can prevent cat owners from buying natural litters.

Natusan aims to reduce cat owner’s waste by up to 65% while also offering superior moisture and odour absorption. Our cat actors and models CJ and Scooter recently stared in Natusan’s campaign to promote these benefits and do their bit to make a real environmental impact.

Wild Thought:

The impact of plastic waste on our environment and oceans is well documented. The health implications of using plastics like BPA to humans is also widely understood. However, these factors can affect animals too.

Wild Thought sources dog toys that are made from natural and sustainable sources. This means they produce minimal plastic waste and are good for your pet’s health too. So, whether your pet loves a ball or a tug rope best, these toys are safe, make less of an environmental impact and are still lots of fun!

Promoting sustainability with Petfluencers!

If you’re looking for recommendations for the most sustainable pet products out there, then social media is one of the best places to look. ‘Petfluencers’ have been promoting sustainable products to their followers for years, and online businesses are starting to use this influence to make a real environmental impact.

Any pet influencers have to try out and test any products they choose to promote, which means it’s a genuine recommendation to their followers. In short, anything from 10,000 to over one million people will be see the recommendations from a petfluencer as credible and are more likely to try a product as a result.

This isn’t just great for businesses that sell sustainable products, but those who are looking to show their commitment to the environment too. Partnering with a petfluencer with strong sustainable ethics can be a great way to show your environmental commitment to target customers.

At Urban Paws, we have a range of pet influencers who have between 1,000 to over one million followers, so we can help you to find the right social media star to promote your product or brand.

Plus, we’re always on the lookout for pet influencers who want to make a difference through their social media influence. Whether you’re a brand manager or the owner of a pet influencer, get in touch with our team to find out more by emailing us at influencers@urbanpawsagency.com