Green queen Ellen Tout takes a look at the impact her pooch purchases have on the planet and whether she can make sustainable swaps
ILLUSTRATION: NAOMI WILKINSON. *PDSA ANIMAL WELLBEING REPORT, 2018;. **DOG FOOD TRANSPARENCY REPORT, PAWS, 2019; ***VEGAN SOCIETY, 2018
Halfof all adults in the UK own a pet* but we often overlook the environmental impact of their food, toys and accessories. It wasn’t until my rescue dog, Bella, was going through treatment for lymphoma that I began to question what I fed her. I wanted to give her the best chance of recovery but had always trusted the big pet brands. I noticed that their marketing can be confusing, with 95 per cent** of food brands not disclosing what they actually contain, making it difficult to weigh up their environmental and nutritional credentials.