As I read this article all I kept thinking is this HAS to be joke, but I don’t think it is, unfortunately. Oh, and they don’t just single out dogs, cats are just as bad and cat poo is apparently even more toxic to sea life than the treacherous dog turds!
And pets’ environmental impact is not limited to their carbon footprint, as cats and dogs devastate wildlife, spread disease and pollute waterways, the Vales say.
With a total 7.7 million cats in Britain, more than 188 million wild animals are hunted, killed and eaten by feline predators per year, or an average 25 birds, mammals and frogs per cat, according to figures in the New Scientist.
Likewise, dogs decrease biodiversity in areas they are walked, while their faeces cause high bacterial levels in rivers and streams, making the water unsafe to drink, starving waterways of oxygen and killing aquatic life.
And cat poo can be even more toxic than doggy doo — owners who flush their litter down the toilet ultimately infect sea otters and other animals with toxoplasma gondii, which causes a killer brain disease.
But despite the apocalyptic visions of domesticated animals’ environmental impact, solutions exist, including reducing pets’ protein-rich meat intake.
“If pussy is scoffing ‘Fancy Feast’ — or some other food made from choice cuts of meat — then the relative impact is likely to be high,” said Robert Vale.
“If, on the other hand, the cat is fed on fish heads and other leftovers from the fishmonger, the impact will be lower.”
Other potential positive steps include avoiding walking your dog in wildlife-rich areas and keeping your cat indoors at night when it has a particular thirst for other, smaller animals’ blood.
As with buying a car, humans are also encouraged to take the environmental impact of their future possession/companion into account.
So, animals that have existed–long before the automobile–long before any mechanical engines, are now on the list of contributors to global warming? They forgot about the Methane produced at cattle and dairy farms too.I wonder if the epic struggle between cats and dogs led to the downfall of ancient Egypt? or Rome? Altantis…
I think it’s time to stop looking for blame (and for God’s sake) please don’t blame my puppies for the bad economy, reducing oil reserves and damaging the environment–which they are a natural part of and start working on solutions.
Smart people, we know there is a problem, we need solutions, now.
Polluting pets: the devastating impact of man’s best friend – Yahoo! News.
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