Go Green: Eco-Friendly Pet Options

June 20, 2007 — -- Now the idea of going green has gone to the dogs. Pets can minimize negative impacts on the environment. Check out these Earth-friendly pet products.

To find out about Simon the cat, who is available for adoption from Animal Care and Control of New York City, visit www.nycacc.org.

Worldwise's PoochPlanet and SmartyKat pet beds are made principally from recycled materials. The material that gives many PoochPlanet and SmartyKat beds their incredibly resilient and fluffy loft is EcoRest, a special fiberfill blend spun from post-consumer plastic beverage bottles. Many of the beds are filled with the equivalent of more than 50 recycled plastic bottles. Cover fabrics for many styles are also made with a blend of recycled materials. Worldwise, whose mission is to change the way America feels about the look, feel, price and performance of Earth-friendly products, has joined forces with national retailers to make the purchase of environmentally-friendly products a natural choice for the average American consumer.

The world's only self-flushing, self-washing cat box. The Cat Genie doesn't use traditional cat litter, which is strip mined, and doesn't leave you with litter to dispose of. Cat feces go in septic tank or sewage system, just like human waste. The product won best new cat product at the 2007 Global Pet Expo.

Rather than disposing of pet waste in garbage, this picks up where your pet left off. You use a pet septic tank of sorts. The original in-ground pet waste disposal system keeps lawns and play areas clean and sanitary with the Doggie Dooley Toilet. Simply install in the ground; drop in dog waste; and occasionally add Digester Powder and water for continuous break down of waste. The environmentally-friendly Doggie Dooley Toilet is harmless to lawns, pets and shrubs, and has the capacity to handle the waste of one large or two small dogs. It works like a home septic system by using enzyme and bacteria action to turn waste into a ground absorbed liquid. It's ideal for most soil conditions except hard clay (works well in sandy soil too). It is molded of durable plastic, the Doggie Dooley Toilet features an open-bottom to create a waste leach field. Improperly disposed pet waste can wash into storm sewers by rain, thus carrying pollutants directly into our lakes and streams. Doggie Dooley offers an easy, sanitary method for yard cleanup.

Lather pets up with detergent, alcohol and pesticide-free grooming products and clean up their mess with products that are as gentle on Earth as they are on pets. These include hypoallergenic dog shampoo, stain and odor remover, dander remover, chew prevention aid, tearless puppy shampoo. Hartz Clean Earth line of products even includes biodegradable training pads (think biodegradable diapers).

Toys made with organically grown cotton or natural dyes aren't only pesticide and chemical free, they also reduce pet allergies and are biodegradable. Find them at www.simplyfido.com There are great chew toys made from recycled rubber come from www.planetdog.com.

As if there weren't enough things to admire about this product -- toy, bed, exerciser and training tool all in one -- the SuperScratcher serves the planet as well as it does cats and their owners. Made of nearly 100 percent recycled materials and certified organic catnip, it is long-lasting, safe and natural, and 100 percent recyclable.

Almost all pet collars are made of nylon, which is made from petroleum. Planet Dog's all-time best-selling collar is the Cozy Hemp Collar. Natural hemp gives strength and an attractive texture, and the fleece lining is cozy and soft. It's what you would wear if you were a dog. Hemp is one of nature's most durable fibers. It gets soft and stays strong, making it the perfect material for collars, leashes and harnesses. The Cozy Hemp Collars come in three sizes and three colors (green apple -- great for St. Patrick's Day, purple and orange). Medium and large collars have a stainless steel side-release buckle, and small collars have plastic. The leash handle comes in one size and the same three colors, and it is fleece-lined for comfort.

Adopt -- don't buy -- one of the millions of pets in shelters that would jump at the chance to get out of the cage at the shelter and under the covers in your home! Click here for more info.