David Attenborough has opened our eyes to the emergency climate crisis that we face today where we have to act now.
We tend to expect our leaders to guide us, but Greta Thunberg has proved that they are not helping, and each one of us, no matter how small has to make that difference in our lives if we are to give our children the future they need filled with nature and hope.
I am a UK vet, Mum of 4 children and a dog lover and in my own small way, I want to make a difference with my everyday choices and hope that by proving how easy these choices are, that others can follow safely.
The article shown above published on the 8th October 2020, is proof that through responsible pet ownership, we can make a difference. By choosing to own a dog, we sadly add to the carbon footprint and climate decline in more ways than we can imagine. As a vet and dog owner, these aspects fill me with enormous guilt as we have all done it and 99% of us continue to do these things, but we CAN and we MUST change –
We’ve all bought accessories for our dogs – toys, leads, coats, beds. We need to just stop buying all these planet destroying ‘goods’ that only make us feel better and far rather concentrate on what makes our own mental well being and our dog’s mental well-being better – long walks in the fresh air! For our indoor pets, we advise enrichment blankets such as one that Barney’s Mum made that we use everyday for our little Ruff – his ‘magic blanket’ as we call it!
For years and years as a GP vet, I have dispensed and recommended flea drops and various flea treatments as they become available without a thought to the natural world and how devastating it is to our insects, especially bees. Rosemary Perkins has written such a comprehensive and needed article highlighting the need for us to change as vets and pet owners. Fipronil is the active ingredient in Frontline (which is used without a thought and advertised blatantly on our TV screens); and Imidacloprid is the active ingredient in spot-ons such as Advocate and Bob Martin flea drops and it is so damaging to our natural environment.
I advise owners now to NOT use flea drops and definitely not use flea collars, but rather use the oral tablets that are available and once your dog has been treated monthly, clear and throw away their faeces for 2 days after treatment to protect our insect population.
Area twice the size of UK needed to feed world’s pets highlights the devastation of our pets being fed ‘raw’ or ‘human-grade’ dog foods such as made by companies that buy the cuts of meat that we would eat, rather than the byproducts used from abattoirs. The carbon footprint of a very small dog eating this diet is equivalent to driving a family car! There is no such thing as ‘sustainable fishing’ and feeding fish is not a natural food for dogs or cats. We need to protect our fragile oceans, so stop buying any fish pet food products for this reason.
I turned myself vegan at the age of 53 last year, having not even been vegetarian prior to this, simply because I was determined to find the perfect plant-based diet for our little family dog Ruff. My journey has been fascinating and took me to Germany to work with the top veterinary nutritionists there and the best part of all of it is that Ruff absolutely loves his 100% balanced plant-based diet. He loves the dry food, he loves the treats and he loves the homemade food that we make him (with added supplements).
I am SO passionate about sharing all of this with you so that you can stop feeling the guilt that I feel as a vet and a dog owner and enjoy your sustainable companions. They enrich our lives immeasurably and I personally could not imagine a world without dogs.
Just try the 3 steps that I have highlighted above – it is actually very easy!
Sarah the active Border Collie loves her daily Gold Dust
“Sarah is an amazing girl. Very intelligent and active, she just wants to please. We love her so much.”
Top 5 Trending Internet Pet Food Searches
All 5 top searches focus on pet health and sustainability with plant-based searches increasing by 70% in 2023!
What an exciting September!
We are just SO excited about September where we help you even more with feeding your dog a nutritionally sound plant-based diet
Did you know that fish don’t produce Omega 3?
Fish get it by consuming algae. Algae are tiny microscopic plants that turn sunlight into Omega 3 DHA. This Omega 3 has a number of benefits, for joints, skin, brain and heart. However, fish oil can often contain mercury, microplastics and other toxins that cannot be...
Her ears smell just like Cheesy Wotsits!
“She smells just like Cheesy Wotsits” I just had to laugh as she was right, Matilda’s infected itchy ears smelt just like Cheesy Wotsits!
Lottie’s plant-based diet has been a Game Changer!
We have not been back to the vets for her itchy ears for 4 weeks and counting! Which is incredible with what we’ve been through!
Supermarket shelves could run out of dog food – Hurrah!
Edgard & Cooper joining forces with Deliciously Ella, new Omni wet food, new oven-bake dry food from The Pack, Butternut Box plant-based sales soaring, Scrumbles on shelves in Sainsbury!
Pain reduced in just 3 days with GOLD DUST!
Inca seems to have more energy, there is a lot less stiffness in her hips (the main issue for her joints) and able to move more freely. I simply cannot believe this!
Louise’s fur finally grew back!
“Thank you for saving Louise” – Linda Dundee
See how palatable GOLD DUST is for your dog!
Our little Ruff absolutely loves the taste and smell of GOLD DUST – watch the video!
Why our dogs should NOT be eating pork or fish
The dangers of bioaccumulation of toxins could be harmful to our pets
19 year old Ruby walked again
I gave Ruby some Boswellia that I had in the cupboard, and I am amazed that she stood up and walked today for the first time in a long time