Diablo is my "recycled" first puppy. After a surprisingly lengthy interview process, including a home visit, I adopted him from Eskie Rescuers United because I fell in love with his picture and his online story got to my heart.
Adopting a pet is a green thing to do because thousands of homeless animals are born every day and so many for-profit breeders are truly infamous "puppy mills" that practice poor breeding and management. Supporting them by buying a pet can fuel that engine.
Also, there are many areas of pet care that offer great opportunities for conscious environmentalism. The following Green Quick Fixes will help you green-up your little devil.
Fleas and ticks
Flea and tick prevention medications are convenient, but they are expensive and contain pesticides and other toxic ingredients.
Some pets only act lethargic and sad for a few days when applied. Diablo writhed for hours, scratching up a couch — as if the drops were pure acid. He was allergic.
It was only a matter of time before Diablo got his first tick, just shortly after a long walk through beautiful Sally Mulligan woods. Attached to the neck, beneath his mighty white beard, where his mouth couldn't reach, was the blood-engorged sunflower seed-shaped parasite.
Then, a few months later, came the fleas. I took the itchy and depressed Diablo for a nontoxic flea bath that gave relief for a day. Then it was time to look into getting rid of his new fleas and finding preventive measures that are nontoxic to Diablo, our home, myself and the community.
Frequent and thorough floor cleaning, bathing and brushing pets regularly, and using herbal flea repellents are the first step in preventing fleas.
Carol Visser, a master dog groomer, trainer and pet industry journalist, advised me to make my own herbal preventative with equal drops of 100 percent cedar, pine, rosemary and citronella essential oils and rubbing alcohol, and mix with water in a spray mister. You can also spray pet bedding and other areas.
Other herbal preventatives include pennyroyal, fennel and basil. And, you can add garlic and brewer's yeast to pet food, which deters fleas when metabolized and scent is released from pores.
Second, instead of using a toxic-laced room fogger to debug my home, Visser advised using diatomaceous earth clay, which is made of fossilized single cell organisms. Between antique pumpkin pine floor boards, in corners, and on rugs, she suggested I spread the powder, let it sit for at least 20 minutes and then vacuum up.
Be sure to use a mask and gloves when handling the product, which can be found in the pool section of hardware stores. It kills the fleas by making them bleed to death.
Another nontoxic option is Borax powder, which works by suffocating fleas, but it is a little less effective. I tried this under my couch cushions.
I also tried an herbal diatomaceous earth-based liquid de-flea spray on Diablo, his bed and some area rugs. Unleashed Doggy Daycare in Beverly carried the product and told me that it was safe enough for pregnant women to use. It lacked chemical odor, did not burn my eyes, didn't seem to bother Diablo's sensitive skin, and I massacred about 20 fleas with it right away.
Poop problems
Leaving dog poop with all its bacteria on the ground contributes to poor water quality and beach closures. With the rain, pet fecal matter is washed directly onto beaches or into storm drains that outlet into the sea. Pet waste also has its effect on local groundwater supplies.
The most important thing you can do is to be sure to pick it up. Reusing plastic grocery bags, which take between 10 to 20 years to decompose, and trashing them is one option.
Using harder-to-find biodegradable bags (try online) is more eco-friendly, and they can also be used in energy conversion. For instance, San Francisco converts pet waste into energy and compost.
Clay-based cat litters should also be avoided because they contain silica dust, which is a known human carcinogen, contributes to feline respiratory disease and is a waste stream piling up in landfills. Look for biodegradable and organic litters that are free of chemicals. Try products made from recycled newspaper, and you'll really be reducing your home's carbon footprint.
Another method is backyard composting. However, the city of Eugene, Ore., completed a scientific study testing the safety of it and didn't find it to be so. It's dangerous for food crops, and if you have a small yard with edible plants, composted pet waste bacteria could migrate its way over.
Lastly, flushing pet waste may seem like a practical solution, but some bacteria from pet waste may survive sewage treatment and when present in effluent (released, treated wastewater) can harm sea life.
Finer foods
Given last year's national pet food scares, it makes more sense to opt for pet food that is natural and does not use byproducts.
Look for brands with less allergens and preservatives. Note that wheat or corn meal can cause allergic reactions.
Further, if you look for labels listing hormone-free meats and fish, you'll not only improve your pet's health, but also his poop. Animal waste laced with hormones derived from their food means there are more hormones being released directly into the watershed (if you are not picking it up or miss one) and via landfill leachate.
If you are inclined, you can also make your own pet food. For recipes and more information, go to http://greenlivingideas.com/pets/dog-food.html.
Deicer and cleaners
Rock salt and other conventional ice-melt is unsafe. Dogs lick their paws after winter walks, and it's not good for them. Use a brand that is marked child- and pet-friendly.
Also, shampoos, perfume sprays and other products contain toxic chemicals in small doses. Talk to your groomer about using only nontoxic, Earth-friendly products on your pet.
On the Web: www.twok9s.com/training, www.epa.gov/osw/inforesources/news/2006news/06-dog.htm, http://mailman.cloudnet.com/pipermail/compost/2004-November/012659.html
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Andrea Fox, a Beverly resident, has been writing about environmental sustainability and eco-topics for eight years. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and a watershed protection advocate in Salem Sound Watershed.
