Going pet free to reduce climate change

[LittleLottieChaos]

I don’t think I’ve seen a thread where people get told not to have a pet because it contributes to climate change… but more often than not when someone asks ‘shall I have a child’ there’s an immediate ‘but think of the planet’ response.

Does anyone else find this ridiculous as a double standard? Pet food farming IS an issue and pets are not necessary (yes yes nor are kids but that’s not the debate here), we should be keeping less domestic animals. Why does a dog owner need 3+ dogs?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.euronews.com/green/amp/2021/04/28/what-s-worse-for-the-climate-crisis-your-child-or-your-pet

Of all the things humans do to stuff up the planet, having pets would be very far down the list. Just another excuse for people to blame something else so they don't have to modify their behaviour.

Well said!

People with usernames like ilovemydoggiesmorethanhumans like to rage about climate change on here.
Their dog food is flown in from China but that's ok.

Seriously??? I don't live in the UK, but all my pets' food is produced in the country I live in. Why on earth would it be flown in from China?

How about humans stop breeding? We are the ones wrecking the planet- FFS we can’t even be nice to each other. We treat animals like shit on the whole…. I’m willing to bet your average cow causes more of a carbon footprint than a bloody dog. Let’s all quit eating meat 😂let’s see how that goes down.

MN hate animals, so people will likely agree with you.

feel sorry for kids. They are going to have to deal with hellish conditions much of their lives

I don’t. As long as fossil fuels are readily available, they will have a great standard of living. The shortages are political in nature.

I think people are going to have to start tolerating people preferences. This could get very ugly as people start being so petty. It is getting to insane levels.

The problem is the number of cats and dogs - there are more than 11 million of each in the UK. The majority of households now have either a dog or a cat. It's become totally normal to have a cat or dog, and while it is more ethical to get a rescue, having a pet at all contributes to the normalisation. What are we going to do when there are 15 million cats and 15 million dogs? Or 20 million of each?

Pet food has been brought up already, but there are plenty of other negative impacts of having cats and dogs.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/17/pet-flea-treatments-poisoning-rivers-across-england-scientists-find

This is one that I think most people don't know about - please think twice about letting your dog run into a river or lake!!

It’s not just meat production that’s a problem. What’s in that processed hamster/rabbit/guinea pig food? We shouldn’t be chopping down rainforest to grow soya so that we can feed our hamsters, just like we shouldn’t be chopping down rainforest to grow soya to feed cows.

There is a finite amount of cultivated land and it should be used to produce food to feed humans, not their unecessary pets.

Why would be want fossil fuels to be readily available?

Your vegan dog food is terrible for the planet. I picked a brand at random and these are the ingredients:

Soya, Maize, White Rice, Sunflower Oil, Peas, Beet Pulp, Brewer's Yeast, Tomato Pomace, Vegetable Stock, Minerals, Vitamins, Yucca Extract (0.09%), Fructo-Oligosaccharides (Prebiotic FOS)(0.01%)

Where do you think those ingredients are grown? Almost certainly on land that was once primary forest. And why are we destroying habitats to grow food only to give it to dogs?

Why would be want fossil fuels to be readily available?

Because fossil fuels are generally associated with higher standards of living.

Unless you have a nuclear fleet or use hydro (not without its own problems), then you can reserve fossil fuels for plastics/agriculture/shipping/transport etc.

🤷🏽‍♀️ my dogs don't reproduce, have a lifespan of approx 14 years and need to feed a body that weights 10-13kg
Children however will reproduce, have a lifespan of approx 80 years and their body weight to maintain is 50kg +.

From am environmental point of view, I can clearly see what would be better.

So stop breaching nonsense. Industry is the one that is most capable of making a real difference to climate change.

It annoys me that many people with “holier than thou” attitudes towards climate change are hypocrites. They’ll drive cars, buy imported food and other items, use electricity etc. However, they’ll blame babies and animals on climate change. If you want change then campaign for change in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Canada and the US (biggest polluters per capita).

thecsrjournal.in/10-most-polluting-countries-per-capita-2022/

The only things you should consider before having another child is if you can afford one, have a stable job, and are in a healthy relationship.

Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

Just try living in one of these countries without air conditioning—it is essential for perhaps three quarters of the year.

You couldn’t do it, I’d wager, given how people in Britain handled the ‘heat wave’ last summer.

We should be more concerned that the government have plans to place a windfall renewable energy but not fossil fuels.

Windfall tax

Sure, if you're buying them and supporting breeding. I've adopted all my animals which is only ever a good thing.

THIS!

I have considered this since our cat died earlier this year.
He was the only meat eater in the family and created probably 2/3 of our household's unrecyclable waste volume (more if you count it by weight), in terms of cat litter and empty food sachets.

Pets are very good for mental health, much better than swallowing pills you can become addicted to.
Pets are invaluable re lonliness, so the benefits outweigh the negatives. l have pets but don' t own a car or fly abroad anywhere.

@LittleLottieChaos

we all need to consume less.
it’s a fact

that means less meat, less driving and flying . Fewer kids and pets

I have a cat and wouldn't be without him. That said, he's pretty placid and probably a bit dim. But previous cat was from a farm, sharp, and a truly incorrigible catcher of mice, voles and birds. I was sad when he died but I often regretted getting a cat which had such an impact on wildlife. I won't replace him, I don't think.

BerriesOnTop

I don’t. As long as fossil fuels are readily available, they will have a great standard of living. The shortages are political in nature.

No, they won’t. They’ll have even more polluted soil and water than we currently do. A tiny fraction of the animals and nature we still have but that are rapidly disappearing or being ruined by human activity. Extended extremely hot temps, coupled with extended severe droughts. Even higher population numbers competing for decreasing resources. I don’t consider any of that a great standard of living, nor quality of life.

@OperaStation I don't currently have a dog of my own unfortunately, due to circumstances, see up thread. So, it's not 'my' vegan dog food.
I'm not saying everyone should feed their dogs a vegan diet. I know it's a controversial choice. I just offered it as a suggestion to reduce the paw print. I actually hope lab grown meat will be widely available for dogs and cats soon. Honestly that post was a year ago, and I barely remembered it!
Re your point though, I don't think that's true. About 96% of soya grown on rainforest land is used to feed livestock to produce meat. Most soya and grain consumed in the UK is grown in Europe. Plant-based diets are pretty much always better for the environment. No argument to the contrary stands up to scrutiny.

Absolutely agree.

Both my son and my JRT were preloved.