Paw prints

Thank dog for the Good guide to choosing—and looking after—your perfect eco-pet. Annabel McAleer finds a furry, feathered or scaly friend to suit every family, with advice from the experts on how to minimise its ecological paw-print

They’re a loyal companion, loving friend and first-class entertainer—but your smallest and furriest family member contributes more to your household’s environmental impact than you might think. Thank dog for the Good guide to greening your doggy, moderating your moggy and choosing the perfect eco-pet.

What’s a Kiwi childhood without a four-legged family member to annoy and adore? With one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, more than half of all New Zealand households include at least one cat, and almost one-third have a dog.

Pets are great for people. They’re not called companion animals for nothing: pets ease loneliness in the elderly; reduce the incidence and severity of depression; lower stress and cholesterol; they’ve even been shown to control blood pressure better than prescription drugs. But your furry little friend—innocent, daft and cute as can be—could be adding as much to your ecological footprint as a small car.

Your pet is a consumer. Maybe not directly, unless you’ve taught Fido some excellent tricks with an Eftpos card, but a consumer none the less. The New Zealand pet industry is worth $400 million a year. Although their needs are basic—food, litter, toys—pets consume resources just as people do. And if you are making more sustainable purchases for yourself, says Motueka vet Paula Short, then why wouldn’t you apply the same principles to your pet?
“If you’re into using chemical-free or organic shampoos, you should consider doing that for your pet as well,” she says.

The same goes for food: if you support organic farming practices, you could feed your pet organic food—or at least foods free of preservatives, additives and fillers. You can buy organic bedding, hemp collars and recycled rubber toys for the eco-chic pooch or pussy; you can even take them to an eco-vet. Paula’s practice, Tasman Bay Vets, last year won an award from the Sustainable Business Network (www.sustainable.org.nz) for its environmental initiatives.
But it’s not just about the money we spend on our pets. Animals—especially our beloved cats and dogs—have their own environmental impact. According to some estimates, a single cat causes almost half a tonne of greenhouse gas emissions each year, and each dog around 1.75 tonnes.

Brenda Vale, a sustainability expert and research fellow at Victoria University, believes the solution to these ‘carbon paw-prints’ is to choose a pet you can eat, like a pig or sheep. Her book, Time to Eat the Dog—truly—will be published this year. But judging by the number of pet chickens Paula sees in her practice, originally bought as laying hens, most of us aren’t anywhere near ready for that particular stir-fry.

Reducing your pet’s paw print isn’t just be good for the planet, it’s good for lil’ fluffy too. According to the US-based Environmental Working Group, pets are contaminated with industrial chemicals—particularly stain-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals), fire retardants (PBDEs) and mercury—at much higher rates than humans. Pure wool carpets and chemical-free cleaning products are good for more than just the humans in your household.

If there’s already an animal in your family, read on to discover how to downsize its paw print. And if you’d like to adopt a new pet, why not look beyond cats and dogs to some of the more unique—and more eco-friendly—animals that follow.

Snuffle, squeak

LIVES: Rabbits 6–10 years; guinea pigs 3–4 years; rats and mice 2–3 years

DIET: Vegetarian. Mice and rats eat grains; rabbits and guinea pigs eat grass, veggies, hay and pellet food

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly pet that rates highly on the cuteometre, it could be time to look at rodents a different way. While mice and rats may take a little coming around to, guinea pigs and rabbits are very good alternatives to a cat or dog, says Paula. She recommends Mini Lops—floppy-eared, short-haired rabbits that stay small and cute (therefore holding your children’s attention), and enjoy pretty good health. Great pets for city living, they are quiet and cheap to feed. Keep them outside in a cage, and they’ll even nibble your grass down for you.

THE EXPERTS SAY …

• Rabbits need decent-sized hutches, and with shelter they will happily live outside. You can even buy them a harness and leash, so you can let them out to hop about.
• If you’d prefer an indoor rabbit, they can be trained to use a litter tray.
• Make sure baby bunnies and guinea pigs are handled often between eight and 12 weeks, so they get accustomed to being held and stroked by children. (Guinea pigs don’t enjoy being handled as much as rabbits.)
• Rabbits can be in-bred, creating health problems, so ask about quality of breeding before you buy. Avoid ‘line breeding’, otherwise known as in-breeding. A breeder will be able to give you more information about a bunny’s lineage than a pet shop.
• Mice, rats and guinea pigs aren’t desexed, so get animals of the same sex. Rabbits can be desexed, but if they’re not go for two girls (two boys will fight).
• None of these animals like living by themselves, so make sure they always have a hutch-mate. Guinea pigs and bunnies are happy buddies.
• If you can come to terms with having a rat in the house, they don’t smell (unlike mice, which tend to pong a bit) and are said to have individual characters, like a cat or dog. “Anyone with a pet rat is very attached to them,” insists Paula.
• Chinchillas might be best avoided. A permit is required to keep chinchillas in the Southland region, because of worries these nocturnal tussock-munchers could escape and get stuck into our native grasslands

Meow

LIVES: 12–18 years

DIET: Carnivores

An independent, self-sufficient feline is the perfect friend for a busy family. Less demanding and less expensive than dogs, cats don’t need walking or bathing—plus they’re cuddly and cute (you know it matters). But our adorable little fluffy-bums are also pathological bird-killers that don’t discriminate between the numerous and native. Our endangered geckos and skinks aren’t safe from their claws … and neither is your couch. But they’re not all bad: kitties also kill rats, mice, wild rabbits and other pests, and in much greater numbers than native birds.

THE EXPERTS SAY …

• Dress your cat in a snap-release collar with a bell, to provide some warning to birds. Incorrigible bird-biters can even be kitted out with a neoprene cat-bib to prevent pouncing (see www.catgoods.com). The utter shame of wearing the ridiculous-looking bib should keep them indoors.
• Give the collar an ID tag, too. A name tag with your phone number will prevent the cat search party having to drive around aimlessly all night, should your independent creature decide to go it alone. You can also choose to microchip your cat, just as you would a dog.
• Keep your cat indoors at night, including at dusk and dawn, when they most like to hunt. It’s also when cats are most likely to get into scraps; keeping them indoors will help avoid nasty cat-fight injuries that can lead to abscesses and feline AIDS.
• Buy cat litter made from recycled paper. Clay litter is bad for the environment: it comes from damaging strip-mines, and doesn’t biodegrade. It’s also bad for your pet: cats lick the clay off their paws and it can then clog up their insides. Some litter  contains silica dust, which can cause lung problems and even cancer.
• Seen Meet the Parents? Then you’ll remember the classic ‘cat on the loo’ scene. Even outside Hollywood, some people really do train their cats to use a human toilet (see www.litterkwitter.com). Cats can’t flush, so toilet training your moggie will also save water … and provide you with hours of at-home entertainment.
• Feed your cat indoors, and feed it often  and well—that means meals with meat—to reduce hunting. Cats are carnivores, so squeamish vegetarians may wish to choose another pet.
• Processed pet foods are convenient, nutritious and cheap—and they turn waste meat into food. Whiskas is said to use fish from sustainable sources, though Good was unable to confirm this. But watch those food miles, and packaging: only tins are recyclable, while individually wrapped portions of cat food are unnecessarily wasteful.
• If you’re committed to organic, locally sourced food, you can even try making cat food yourself; there’s an astonishing array of feline recipe books online.
• Arrange for your cat to be fed at home or take it to a cattery when you go on holiday. And if your neighbours ask you to feed their cat, say yes (then remember to do it).
• Toys with moving parts will keep your cat busy and stop it hunting out of boredom. Reuse household objects to make cheap playthings: cats love paper bags, old stockings, balls of tin foil, hiding in boxes. 
• Do we need to say it? There is really no need to leave the television on for your cat overnight, or when you go out. They can entertain themselves, truly!
• Never feed a stray cat—call the SPCA or your local council to collect it—and never abandon an unwanted cat.
• Most importantly, desex, desex, desex. A single pair of cats and their offspring can generate up to 420,000 kittens in seven years. Controlling cat reproduction is the best way to reduce stray and feral cat populations. New Zealand has as many as 400,000 feral and stray cats, mostly because people don’t desex their pets

Woof woof

LIVES: Large dogs 10–12 years; small/medium dogs 12–14 years

DIET: Omnivores. Talk to your vet before shifting your dog to a low-meat or no-meat diet

The most loyal and loving of pets, dogs are a true joy to their owners. The dog is perhaps the pet most likely to become an integral member of a family unit (including, of course, the eternally popular ‘man and dog’ unit). But it’s also the pet with the highest environmental impact.

A large dog can have the same impact as a small car, says Brenda Vale. Her research found that a large dog, such as an Alsatian, has an ecological footprint the size of a Toyota Corolla. That’s mostly because of how much they eat. An active 36-kilogram dog needs to eat more than 8,000 kilojoules a day—the energy requirement of a 54-kilogram woman. All that food adds up to some serious expenditure, too. In 2007, Consumer NZ compared the costs of raising a baby and a puppy for the first year. The pooch came in cheaper—but only by about $500.

THE EXPERTS SAY …

• Adopt your dog from the SPCA. Most vets recommend mixed-breed dogs; pure-breds can have genetic health problems that pain the animal and your wallet (see box, below).
• Choose a small dog over a large one: it will eat less, have less environmental impact, and save you money.
• Downsize your dog’s paw print by decreasing the meat content of its diet.
• Never drive your dog somewhere just to take it for a walk. “There’s a perfectly good pavement outside your door,” says Paula.
• Desexing is as important for dogs as it is for cats. Best done when your pup is around six months old, it increases life expectancy and decreases aggressive behaviour.
• Tail docking, on the other hand, is completely unnecessary—and cruel. Dogs use their tails to communicate. Tail injuries are actually much more common in cats—though their tails shouldn’t be docked either! The New Zealand Veterinary Association is strictly against tail docking, and it’s now illegal in the UK.
• All newly registered dogs must now be microchipped. This records details of dogs and their owners in a national database, and makes it easier to reunite stray dogs with their owners.
• You can get natural flea remedies, but these are less effective than medicines designed for the job. Oral treatments are best, says chemist Doug Cleverly, as topical doses can leave residues of toxic pesticides in your pet’s fur, which can then be transferred to your kids’ hands. Second best are products that use hormones to act on the flea larvae; these have no effect on humans. Avoid flea powders, which contain organophosphates that are toxic to pets and humans.
• Buy quality toys for your pooch; just like toys for kids, cheap ones break quickly. “Look for good, solid toys that are going to last,” says Paula—and be prepared to pay a little more. Interactive toys like treat balls (balls with holes where you can hide biscuits) keep dogs occupied if you’re out at work.
• Many dog toys are made from plastic or nylon, neither of which biodegrade. Look for accessories and toys made from natural materials: hemp products are tough and long lasting. Try buying second-hand toys: disinfect plastic toys, and put cuddly fabric toys through a hot wash.
• Beware the ‘Paris Hilton effect’. “We’re in danger of turning dogs into the ultimate consumers,” warns Paula. Dogs don’t need designer clothes—and people don’t need designer dogs. A pet should never be bought on impulse; it’s not an accessory, but a long-term commitment.
• Scoop up your dog poo in biodegradable bags so it isn’t embalmed in a landfill for hundreds of years (buy them at www.paw-print.co.nz). Dog poo can be composted, as long as it’s kept away from your veggie garden (where the bacteria could eventually get to your puku). Try cutting the bottom off an old rubbish bin and burying it in your garden, away from your veggie patch, to use as a dog-poo composter.
• If your hound digs up your veggies, make a doggy digging-box. Fill a boarded box with sand, and hide toys in the box for your pooch to discover.
• Dogs with working parents get lonely and bored during the day. Hire a dog-walker to come around midday, or look on neighbourhood notice boards for a nearby dog-sitter. (Dog-sitting’s a popular sideline for at-home mums and the self-employed; a sitter will charge a small fee to have a couple of dogs at their place for the day).
• Doggy daycare is another fantastic—though more expensive—option for dogs with separation anxiety.
• Man’s best friend is the kiwis’ worst enemy. If your dog will ever be walked in forests or taken hunting, enrol it in a free kiwi aversion training course. Don’t take your dog on holiday to an area where kiwis live; if you live in a kiwi area, don’t get a dog as a pet. 

Tweet tweet, cluck

LIVES: Chickens 6–10 years; budgies and canaries 8 years; lovebirds and cockatiels 8–10 years

DIET: Chickens eat plants, cereal and meat; other birds mainly eat seeds and grain

Apart from needing its cage cleaned, a bird is a fairly low-maintenance pet. Birds can also be low-reward (no snuggling on the couch) unless you choose the talking variety: male budgies, cockatiels and cockatoos. Then there’s the humble chicken. Joining the ranks of New Zealand’s most popular feathered friends—cockatiels, budgies, canaries and lovebirds—suburban chooks have taken off in popularity, as eco-minded types chase the good life (and the freshest eggs). But although it seems we’re taking Brenda Vale’s advice and choosing pets we can eat, it turns out many of us have trouble with this final step. Paula’s veterinary practice euthanises many an elderly chook, bought as a youthful laying hen then kept as a pet once she’s gone off the lay. “Chooks have personalities and individual characters,” she says, so it’s no wonder we get attached.

THE EXPERTS SAY …

• Never name a chicken you intend to eat. (See good.net.nz/chooks for more on keeping—and killing—chooks in the city.)
• Get the biggest cage that will fit in your house—go long rather than tall. Some bird-lovers create an aviary for their pets, to allow them to fly more freely. Tame birds can be let out to fly around inside a house, but clipping their wings is recommended so they can’t fly too far (like clipping your toenails, it won’t hurt the bird a bit). 
• Birds get bored without stimulation: they need another bird-friend, or lots of toys and a human who likes to talk.
• Bird food from your vet is better for your feathered friend than supermarket birdseed. Try Harrison’s Bird Food: it’s certified organic and there are different varieties for all sorts of birds.
• Cockatoos are thought to be as clever as a five-year-old child—but they live for 90 years, so consider your children (and children’s children) before committing them to lifetime ownership.
• Say goodbye to your non-stick cookware. When heated, it can produce fumes that are toxic to many birds.
• If you’d like to keep a native bird, you can apply to DOC for a permit to keep a red- or yellow-crowned Kakariki, New Zealand’s endangered parrot. They’re essentially wild animals, making them more complex pets than domesticated birds. A large outdoor aviary is recommended, and breeding pairs can’t be housed with other species.

Splash, croak, ribbit

LIVES: Goldfish up to 10 years; frogs 15–20 years; lizards up to 40 years

DIET: Fish like fish flakes; lizards and frogs like insects (live moths and fruit flies, for example)

Watching fish swim is a proven stress-reliever, and they’re quiet, undemanding pets. Cheap, too: after the initial aquarium cost, fish are cheap to buy and eat next to nothing, making them one of the most low-impact pets out there. While they’re missing the cuddle-factor, fish are great pets for kids with allergies. Then there are the other aquarium-dwellers: reptiles, frogs and other amphibians. Also very low-impact, they’re harder to look after than fish—but reptiles have greater bragging rights among school kids.

THE EXPERTS SAY …

• Go for cold-water fish. There are hundreds of varieties, and they are cheap to buy. Tropical fish, on the other hand, require water to be kept around 26°C and special aquarium lighting, which chews through electricity.
• Avoid red-eared slider turtles. They’re cute when they’re little, but they can grow 30 centimetres long and live up to 35 years. Plus, they’re kinda smelly. If you own turtles already, never release them into the wild: exasperated owners doing just that has led to wild turtle populations in some areas, posing a threat to native animals.
• Protected native lizards, like geckos and skinks, cannot be bought, sold or collected from the wild, so you’ll need to find a lizard keeper with a reptile to spare. Join the Herpetological Society (www.reptiles.org.nz) for assistance, information and advice on building a suitable cage.
• You’ll also need a permit from DOC to keep New Zealand lizards. Native lizards require skilled care, so DOC will want to meet you and inspect the lizards’ cage before issuing a permit. After you’ve been holding common geckos and skinks for three years, you may request permission from DOC to hold rarer species.
• Native New Zealand frogs are too rare to be kept as pets—there simply aren’t enough to spare. It’s illegal to disturb, handle or collect native frogs.
• You can keep three introduced frog species as pets: the whistling tree frog, the southern bell frog and the golden bell frog. Buy them at pet shops or collect them from the wild as spawn or tadpoles (not from national parks, though).
• Pet amphibians must never be released into the wild, and shouldn’t be moved between the North and South Island, even in captivity. There’s a risk of them spreading disease to wild frogs.
• Axolotls and fire-bellied newts aren’t found naturally in New Zealand. They can be bought from pet shops, but could cause big problems if they escape your custody.
• Amphibians are sensitive to chemicals in water, so don’t use water straight from the tap. Leave it overnight in a clean bucket, put it through a dechlorinator (found in pet shops), or use rainwater or filtered water.
• See the NZ Frogs website for heaps of info on keeping frogs, and the plight of our native frogs.