How big is the carbon footprint of owning a dog or cat? I have heard that for an Alsatian or Labrador, it is akin to running a four-wheel drive vehicle. Is this accurate?
鈥� A recent study by researchers at , Los Angeles, estimated that there are 165 million dogs and cats in the US, which consume as much food as 62 million Americans. Another report calculates that this makes the dietary carbon footprint of US pets equivalent to that of . On this measure, the car seems the bigger polluter.
But the environmental impact of individual pets also depends on what type of meat they eat 鈥� beef has a higher carbon footprint than chicken, for example. And we should remember that we don鈥檛 farm animals to feed our pets. Rather, they get the bits we don鈥檛 want, so the meat they eat would probably have been produced whether pets consume it or not.
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John Barron
London, UK
鈥� My Labrador helps me reduce carbon emissions by eating leftovers, so preventing food waste. And I don鈥檛 need to heat my bedroom, as she sleeps on the bed. Furthermore, I often walk to the shops with the dog instead of driving. The counterargument is that, because I have a dog, I need a larger car. In addition, the emissions from my dog鈥檚 digestion are considerable.
鈥淭he diet of 165 million pet dogs and cats in the US has a carbon footprint akin to that of 13.5 million cars鈥�
Then again, much of her feed is plant-based, such as rice, apples, the kids鈥� sandwiches, some of the Christmas tree (Labradors are major scavengers). Plus the waste she produces daily is disposed of in a municipal methane generator that powers a park light.
Paul Bold
Verneuil-sur-Avre, France
鈥� Two years ago, my husband and I decided to become vegan. This was mainly for health reasons but also for the planet and animal welfare. Our son pointed out that it made very little sense to do this if we continued to feed our dog using large quantities of meat.
We did some research and found that dogs can be healthy on a vegan diet, so for the past 18 months our Labrador has been on vegan dog food. We buy this online as there isn鈥檛 yet enough demand for local shops to stock it. Our son feeds his dog home-cooked rice and vegetables, with a supplement called Vegedog.
Our dog loves his diet and is lively, active and in excellent physical condition. I have no doubt that his carbon pawprint is now much lower. I recommend this change to anyone who cares about the planet鈥檚 future, yet wishes to carry on enjoying the many benefits of owning a dog.
Daphne Watkins
Crymych, Pembrokeshire, UK
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