And no, I do not want any of you to dye their dogs, cats, ferrets or gerbils green (like that bizarre Chinese craze a while back, where everyone seemed to be running around with rainbow dogs).

It’s Earth Day today, a day to honour our planet, and do something to help reduce our carbon footprint. One great way we can do that is to make our pets as green as possible. Even the smallest thing counts.

So, what are you going to do?

There are lots of things you can do, but we have some great suggestions here (and we’d love to hear more tips from you in the comments.

Spay/Neuter – Puppies and kittens are adorable, but when pets start siring babies, then we end up with many more unwanted animals. Animals who live on the streets or are sent to shelters. And, spayed and neutered pets live longer, healthier lives, which means less vet visits. And we also suggest adopting a pet, rather than buying one.

Recycle – The cans your pet’s food comes in, the boxes litter is bought in, all these things can be recycled, and makes for smaller landfills. But recycling can be as simple as using those plastic bags your groceries come in, your veggies come in, as doggie bags.

Sustainable – Instead of paper plates to put your pet’s food on, use a special bowl or plate for them. And if you like to give your dog food and water when out and about, then bring along something you can reuse – there are some great collapsable and reusable bowls on the market. Take it a step further and get your pet toys, bedding and clothes made of sustainable and recycled materials.

There are so many different ways to green your pet. Happy Earth Day!