««I’m a vegetarian for more than ten years. Not for health reasons or because I don’t like the taste of chicken and meat: it’s a lifestyle choice I made to reduce my impact on the planet. Yet, twice a day, every day, I lovingly pour a cup of meat-based kibble into a bowl and I place it in front of the 25 kilo dog I adopted, a husky mix named Loki.” This is how the article begins Claire Elise Thompson on Grist taken here from International. As the journalist explains, it’s not about accusing our dogs of the world’s evils but about focusing a paradox with which we share meals and caresses.
«The paradox: I am a vegetarian, my dog is a carnivore». And how to reduce its environmental impact
If we are people who are attentive to our climate impact we must know that having a dog has a significant impact on our personal environmental balance. This does not mean that we have to give up on them but that we can, also on this front, raise the level of our awareness.
How much dogs pollute
Dogs and cats eat meat, and producing meat involves a lot of Co2 emissions. A 2017 study from UCLA found that our furries are responsible for about 25-30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the United States. This is equivalent to one year of driving 13.6 million cars.
For pets who eat traditional kibble or wet food, these proteins can come from meat by-products – otherwise wasted animal partssuch as organs and bones, not approved for human consumption. But a growing number of pet owners are increasingly choosing to feed their furry friends with products based on “human-grade” meat, which requires additional resources and generates extra emissions. A problem is also represented by excrement, which we bag in plastic and send to landfill, where it releases greenhouse gases.
Studies on this topic are diverse. Like the one that just appeared above The Conversation: shows that feeding dogs can even have a greater negative impact on the environment than the food their owners eat. The production of ingredients for their foods contributes to around 0.9-1.3% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, producing enough food for all dogs could create emissions equivalent to 59-99% of those from burning jet fuel in commercial aviation.
It depends on the food they eat: from croquettes to fine cuts
The owners, explains the researcher who signed the article, are divided between those who believe dogs are “wolves” and those who work to reduce environmental damage.
A damage that varies greatly depending on what meat is given to our animals: from fine cuts to offal, from fresh meat to croquettes. Simple rules such as “dry food always has a lower environmental impact than wet food” do not apply to all products. The mix of ingredients within each product is fundamental.
In general, Choosing grain-free, wet or raw foods may result in a greater negative environmental impact than standard dry kibble. Regardless of the type of food you choose, it’s also best to choose foods that use wholesome animal byproducts or plant-based proteins, rather than competing directly with the meat humans normally eat.
Wildlife disturbance and other canine “sins”.
Other studies, like the one published in the journal Pacific Conservation Biologyhighlighted the impact of the “most common large carnivore in the world” also in killing and disturbance of native wildlife, particularly coastal birds. For example in Australia, where numerous off-leash dog attacks on penguins have been recorded. Or in some wild areas of the United States, to the detriment of deer, foxes and bobcats.
The main author of the research, Prof. Bill Bateman of Curtin University, explained that he did not want to accuse anyone, on the contrary. He simply hoped it would be useful in raising public awareness.
Benefits of dogs for the planet
Dogs have “enormous benefits,” on the mental and physical health of their owners. But also for example in conservation activities, such as wildlife detection. «And there is another aspect to balance: thanks to their dogs, people spend more time outdoors, truly appreciating and taking care of the environment around them». In other words, our dogs are born environmental sensitizers, on whose carnivorous diet we could work.
Claire Elise Thompson confirms this at the end of her article. «Anecdotally, I would say that I travel less because I have a dog that I have to take care of. Taking it for a walk every day also makes me much more attentive to the environment where I live, to what happens in the neighborhood and to my neighbors, all important factors for building climate resilience».