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Pawsitive Ecology - The Best in Green Pet Products
by Columnist Tobi-Dawne Smith
As pet owners, we are often faced with the reality that our animal family members often lead us to have a larger ecological paw print than we may have otherwise. This can be a difficult thing to balance when one is trying to live a green life. Thankfully, as retailers and producers are becoming more eco-conscience, so too are the products that are available for our fids (furry, feathered, and finned kids). Here are my top picks!
For Cats:
Organic catnip abounds these days, but the fabric used to contain said herb is often less than green. Our two top picks for catnip toys are the catnip bags from West Paw Design and The Rosemary House. Rocky Mountain High, from West Paw Design is a durable organic cotton sack stuffed to the brim with USDA certified organic catnip. The Rosemary House offers a less expensive, but less durable version filled with fresh organic catnip. Both are sure to please even the most finicky kitty, and allow for any budget.
My other top pick for cats is the CatGenie. Many of us are aware of the dangers involved with clay cat litter. It's hard on the environment, but also hard on our feline friends. There are other options available, but all create a large amount of waste, and see urine and feces in landfills - where they do not belong. The CatGenie is a self cleaning unit with reusable granules, that ensures your cats waste ends up in the toilet - where it can be properly processed and won't end up polluting ground water. Set the cleaning cycle to run every second day, and it only uses one flush per day. The added benefit? You don't have to clean a litter box!
For Dogs:
Commercially available dog treats can be a tough find. Many ingredient lists leave treats sounding more appropriate for a gerbil or fancy rat than for a dog. Thankfully there are Barkwheats! A healthful, organic, grain free treat that features recycled, compostable packaging. What more could you ask for? Oh! They can help with bad breath, arthritis, and anxiety too. Gotta love a company that does it's research!
When it comes to toys another nod must be payed to West Paw Design. They feature a line made from intelliloft fiber, which is created from recycled pop bottles. Our dogs particularily enjoy the Twist. It can withstand hours of rough, drag-through-the-dirt play.
For those times we all hope to have a Japanese Toy Spaniel rather than a Neapolitan Mastiff, there are Flush Puppy bags. Yep. You read that right. FLUSH. You simply scoop the poop, and flush the bag down the toilet. Putting the poo right where it belongs. Another option are the Doggie Duty Bags from PERF Go Green. They're a compostable poo bag. But please do compost them, rather than tossing them into a land fill. Improperly disposed puppy poo bags cause a build up of methane, which is released into our atmosphere when the bag breaks.
For a product that will almost convince you to trade beds with your dog, check out the Snuggletop Pet Bed by Natura World. Created to the same high standards as their toddler and adult human line, these pet beds are outstanding in every way. Seriously, there is nothing like it! After cuddling on this bed, you'll be grateful that they also create a line of beds for people.
For Small Critters:
Hands down, the best product out there for pocket pets (gerbils, hamsters, fancy rats, chinchillas, ferrets, et al), Herps (tortoises, lizards, snakes, etc) and birds is the eco bedding available from NuHemp. BIO-Nesting, as they've called it, is created from the inner core and outter fibers of the hemp stem. It is completely green with no chemicals added at ANY point during the plants growth or the products production. And just when you think it's usefulness is over and done, it makes a great addition to your compost.
Company Websites:
West Paw Design - http://www.westpawdesign.com/
The Rosemary House - http://www.therosemaryhouse.com
CatGenie - http://www.catgenie.com/
Barkwheats - http://www.barkwheats.com/
Flush Puppy - http://www.flushpuppies.com/
PERF Go Green - http://www.perfgogreen.com/
Natura World - http://www.naturaworld.com/
NuHemp - http://www.nuhemp.com/
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Tobi-Dawne Smith,
President of the Green Party of Saskatchewan
Editor In Chief of Pure Greenius
Canine Behavior Specialist
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