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So why all this fuss about pets and their impact on the environment? You are probably thinking that surely your little fury friend cant have that much of an ecological footprint. Well according to the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC) there are 33 million pets in Australia; 3.41 million dogs and 2.35 million cats, so in total around 59% of the country has a cat or dog. Our pet ownership extends to 18.4 million fish, 8.1 million birds and of course other pets including horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and other exotics. In terms of pet ownership, Australia has one of the highest incidences in the world. Now factor in what your pet eats, your pets waste, the pet products you buy and multiply that by 33 million and you will see that our pets impact on the environment is a growing issue. As a pet owner myself I am not advocating we give up our pets because along with the negative impacts on the environment there are so many positives especially in regards to our health.The ACAC reports that 79% of pet owners say that when things go wrong they feel comforted with their pet around. Animals are also used in therapy and in institutional settings and they assist the edlerly with grief and lonliness that can often lead to depression [2] . Pets are also believed to reduce the risks of heart attacks [3] and astonishingly one study has shown that our pets reduce our visits to the doctor saving 2.227 billion in health costs each year [4].Pets are great for our economy too. The ACAC reported that last year the pet care industry contributed 6.021 billion dollars to the Australian economy, and this was a 30.3% increase over the last 3 years. Employment within the industry has nearly reached 50 000 people and this includes not only pet food and products but veterinary services as well. 

So with these astoundng economic, health and social benefits it seems our pets are here to stay. It is our responsibility as pet owners to ensure that the environmental impact of our pets is as minimal as possible. Author Kristen Alexander puts it perfectly, "Left to their own devices, our pets are probably fairly green. Pets don’t drive, overheat the house, or water the footpath. Yes they eat, drink and create waste, but for the most part if they have a thumping great paw print it’s due to us." So be an informed pet owner and make the right choices for your pet AND the planet. To read more research of human and animal interaction click here.

2. Bolin, S.E. (1987). “The effects of companion animals during conjugal bereavement.” Anthrozoos, 1, 26-35.

3. Anderson, W.P., Reid, C.M.and Jennings, G.L. (1992) “Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.” The Medical Journal of Australia, Vol 157, no 5, 298-301
4. Headey, B. (1999) Health benefits and health cost savings due to pets: preliminary estimates from an Australian national survey, Social Indicators Research 47: 233-243.