Dan's Papers - October 31, 2008

If you're thinking green, you're probably also thinking organic. We can apply both to all of the products we buy for our family pets, helping to improve their wellbeing and the planet at the same time.

But readers of this column know that I always have a "but" in there somewhere. It's your responsibility to your dog or cat to make sure that you don't take the word of the advertising companies. Instead, make sure you read the labels and do some investigating into what the products are made of. Just because they say 100% organic or natural, it doesn't necessarily mean they are 100% safe or 100% appropriate for your particular pet, nor does it mean that it will buy you a day's pass to a greener planet. I can give you a heads up on what I found, and what you may want to make note of.

Let's start with dog beds. Most conventional dog beds are made of synthetic fabric and filled with cedar chips. Cedar has an incredibly strong odor. Personally, I don't really like it, but whether you think it's pleasant or not, imagine how strong the scent of it is to your dog. Can this cause respiratory problems and allergies? Organic pet beds are filled with 100% certified organic cotton and organically grown buckwheat hulls and covered with heavy-duty, colorgrown, organic cotton canvas. Colorgrown cotton is cotton that has been allowed to remain in its naturally grown color - which, surprisingly enough, is green - without bleaching it or dyeing it.

Remember I mentioned that you need to read the labels before you buy what you think is planet and pet friendly? This is why: Some of these products are made of recycled plastic, better known as soda bottles. Look for the words "recycled fiber-fill," which can also come in the form of all kinds of unidentifiable trademark names that you can look up on the Internet with very little difficulty. Earth friendly? Yes, definitely. This clean, safe, re-engineered PET (polyethylene terephthalate) polymer material reduces energy use, while at the same time keeps plastic bottles out of our landfills. Creating products from recycled material can use up to eight times less energy than it takes to manufacture the same material new. That's all great - obviously recyclable is better than not recyclable.

Now here's the "but:" If I had a puppy that eats anything that doesn't eat him first, I would prefer a product that has more pet friendly stuffing. Ask your vet what he or she thinks about it and let me know.

Hemp is used as a substitute for many potentially harmful products because it requires little to no herbicides. Hemp ropes and chew toys like hemp bones are actually heavy weight canvas made of, allegedly, safe to digest, non-toxic, shredded hemp. Stuffed animal toys that are made for your dog should be made with natural hemp fiber and filled with natural raw cotton that is not treated or bleached. I really like the hemp ropes and they seem to be quite durable. More important, though, the dogs like them, too.

Hemp beds do not necessarily mean that they are stuffed with hemp. Again, you must read the label for contents. I found out the cover of some of them is made of hemp and/or unbleached cotton - that's the good news. The part I like for the environment but don't like for my dog is that they are stuffed with a mixture of recycled poly-cotton and scrap foam otherwise headed for landfill. Recycling is definitely a good thing. It just doesn't always mean it's a good thing for your dog or cat. So make sure that the inside of the bed is as friendly to your pet as the outside.

How about trying a collar made from 100% organic African cotton, which means no pesticides or fertilizers were used in the cultivation of the cotton. Many of these collars are made using metal-free, low salt, earth-friendly dyes and are durable, as well as machine washable. I love cotton web leads, as they are very soft, flexible and comfortable to hold in my hand. Eco-friendly collars made from 100% hemp webbing are hypoallergenic and soften with wear, making them extremely comfortable for our pets.

Pet-related products can also be part of our "go for the green" daily routine. Biodegradable is another earth-friendly term to look for. Pet stain and odor removers should be 100% natural and biodegradable, utilizing natural enzymes and free of ammonia, phosphate, chlorine and petroleum ingredients. Do you use Pee Pee Pads for your puppy? Those too should be biodegradable.

Corn-based cat litter is, by definition from the manufacturer, biodegradable and flushable. Environmentally friendly cat litter means it's low in dust and contains no clay, silica, synthetic binding or dust reducing agents. Marketing of this product claims that if your cat should lick his or her paws and accidentally ingest some of the corn-based litter, it will pass harmlessly through the digestive system. Does this mean that it is also safer for your dog, who likes to eat cat litter? Please ask your vet that question too, if you have a dog and a cat in the same household.

So what have we learned here? I, for one, now realize that there is a clear distinction between organic and earth-friendly. All of us must do what we can to help our planet and including our pet products in the program is a paw-step in the right direction. However, products that are safe for the planet must also be safe for our dearly loved canine and feline friends and family.