One Health

Earth Day is a global day of observation that highlights the importance of protecting the environment. Every year, people are encouraged to get outside, clean up their community, and think about ways they as individuals can protect the earth. The United Nations has called climate change "the defining crisis of our time" but there are steps we can take to combat this crisis. Today we'll focus on some of the ones that involve us AND our pets!

• Clean up after your pet and use biodegradable poop bags! Leaving your pet's waste behind can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria and parasites and contaminate nearby soil and water. Picking it up with biodegradable bags will prevent that and also avoid introducing more plastics into our environment.

• Recycle! Look for toys and supplies made from recycled materials when possible. And be on the lookout for items you can donate to shelters. Toys that your pets are no longer interested in, towels or blankets of yours that may have some stains or tears, and unopened food you don't need any more are all things that are better off with your local shelter than in the dump. 
  
  

• Help your neighborhood birds! Brush your pets outside so birds can use their fur in their nests. If you have an outdoor cat, consider putting a bell on them so that birds, and other small animals, can hear them coming.
  
  

What are some other ways that you and your pet can help out the earth?   

 

References

Earth Day: Ways to Observe Earth Day with Your Dog

The Climate Crisis – A Race We Can Win | United Nations

What is Earth Day 2025, when is it and what has it achieved?

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Kaitlyn Davis
Research Associate
UTK Program for Pet Health Equity
TN
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Reduce, reuse and recycle!

My friends and I:

Reduce	– Use reusable water bottle, instead of plastic bottles that go in the trash
Reuse	– Use reusable shopping bags instead of using the plastic bags merchants loved to hand out – Use old jars or "to go" containers for storage or left overs – Buy clothes from the local thrift stores, charity shops, or second-hand stores
Recycle	– Recycling empty glass, plastic, and paper/cardboard – Recycling old newspapers, by donating them to the local animal shelters that use them for bedding or give them to a  friend that shreds them and uses them for bedding for her chickens

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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
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