How can I reduce my pet’s environmental impact?

Every animal will have a different sized environmental pawprint, depending on their size, breed and lifestyle. Healthy, happy animals will also generally require fewer medical interventions throughout their lifetime, which reduces the emissions and waste associated with their care.

If you are looking for a new pet, help protect animal welfare and reduce your carbon pawprint by:

• Researching which pet is right for you, to make sure it will be happy and healthy with your lifestyle. Take a look at our advice on choosing a pet, try out the PDSA PetWise quiz, and speak to your veterinary team for more advice.
• Avoiding breeds which are known to have more health problems than others, such as brachycephalic breeds.
• Rehoming a pet from the UK, to reduce demand for breeding. If you do choose to buy from a breeder, use the Puppy Contract or Kitten Checklist to help make sure they are responsible.

Ask your veterinary team for a pre-purchase consultation to get advice on finding the right pet for you.

The food your pet eats can make a big difference to their carbon pawprint, but we must be careful to balance sustainability with their nutritional needs.

The most important advice for feeding pets sustainably is:

• Double check you are giving them the right amount of food. Ensuring you are not overfeeding reduces food waste and keeps them healthier. Regularly weigh the food you give them to make sure it’s still the right amount. Don’t forget to count the treats and scraps they eat too! Read more tips on portion control from UK Pet Food.
• Always feed a balanced diet which meets their nutritional needs. Look for food labelled “complete” to ensure it contains everything they need.
• For more advice on choosing a sustainable diet, including ingredient choice, check out our FAQs on feeding cats and dogs, and speak to your vet.

Preventing health issues will keep your pet happy and reduce the emissions and costs associated with veterinary treatments and medicines. Every pet will be different, so you should speak to your veterinary team for tailored advice, but some key areas to consider are:

• Keeping your pet at a healthy weight is essential for reducing their carbon pawprint. Obesity is very common in companion animals, usually caused by overfeeding, and it’s associated with a number of diseases, all of which add to the carbon emissions from with treatment. Find out more on this RSPCA pet obesity webpage.  
• Vaccinating animals reduces their risk of potentially fatal illnesses, and the prevalence of disease in the general population. This is an extremely important component of preventative healthcare. Find out more on this PDSA vaccinations webpage.
• Good dental care can prevent the occurrence and severity of periodontal disease, which is a very prevalent condition in dogs and cats and has serious welfare implications. Maintaining good oral hygiene through brushing teeth and feeding a suitable diet. Find out more from Dogs Trust and Cats Protection.

Protect nature by discouraging your pet from interacting with or harming wildlife, including by:

• Following safe use and disposal advice for any medicines or treatments your pet needs, eg by using parasite treatments safely. 
• Always picking up faeces, as leaving this in the environment can spread harmful parasites, bacteria and toxins. How you dispose of pet poo matters too – check out the Wildlife Trusts advice on this.
• Following any local guidance or signs when exercising your dog to make sure they aren’t disturbing wildlife, or stressing the grazing animals in the habitat. Read three simple steps for a wildlife friendly dog walk in this infographic.
• Simulating your cat’s natural hunting behaviours at home, as this can help to reduce their need to hunt wildlife. Try following this advice from Battersea.

Toys and accessories can provide enrichment for your pet, but they also contribute to your pet’s carbon pawprint. They can become an area of overconsumption, just like ‘fast fashion’, and eventually become waste. Help balance your pet’s enjoyment with sustainability by:

• Considering whether you can reduce the number of toys, clothes and accessories you buy. Think about what your pet really wants from their perspective – they may prefer playtime or a walk in the park.
• Shopping around to find eco-friendly options they’ll love just as much, such as those made from sustainable or recycled materials. Be mindful of where and who you spend money with for your pet.
• Disposing of used toys responsibly, avoiding landfill if possible.