But Does it Taste Like Chicken?

There has been a flurry of commentary in response to a recently published book, Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living. The authors, a New Zealand couple who possess a background in science, wrote the book as a guide for readers to assess the ecologic footprint they are leaving according to their lifestyle habits. Suggestions for less ecologically damaging alternatives are then given.

As one might surmise from the title, owning a dog is, apparently, not an environmentally friendly option. Indeed, the authors claim that the carbon paw print our best friends leave on the environment is far worse than even a gas-guzzling SUV.

One solution, other than not owning a dog, is to eat – that’s right, I said “eat”- your pet; presumably after it has outlived its usefulness. Alternatively, the pet’s remains could be recycled by putting it back into the food chain (is anyone else thinking “canine spongiform encephalopathy”?). I admit, I have not read the book – only reviews and commentaries – so my assessment here may not be entirely accurate. Still, the idea is intriguing.

The authors attest that the energy that goes into making dog food, and the waste that comes out, consumes vast amounts of precious resources. “In return for what?” I suppose is the question. Hmm…let me think (it’s a little difficult with all the noise my Jack Russell, Biscuit, is making enjoying her dog biscuit). My dog is not capable of transporting me anywhere, although certainly there are some dogs that can do that. My dog is not growing anything to help feed any of the earth’s other critters – although she does help me dig in the vegetable garden. She cannot build sustainable housing, generate renewable energy, invest in a socially responsible manner, or shop “green.”

On the other hand, she does curl up with me when it’s chilly out (decreases heating bills), vacuums up the scraps under the kitchen table (decreases energy usage), and helps keep rodents away (cuts out use of dangerous rodenticides). She also teaches my children about responsibility and gives them plenty of exercise (that helps cut down on t.v. usage, too), and keeps the cats trim with her relentless chasing. In addition, she provides us with free entertainment and burglar protection. Oh, and let’s not forget the unconditional love and warm fuzzy feeling. Gee, how do you put a price on that?

I’m sure there are lots of other ways we can compensate for the environmental impact of our dogs. I wouldn’t mind seeing some changes in the way we grow our grains that go into dog food – as well as the types of grains that are grown. I’d love to see greater availability of other more “eco-friendly” meat sources (I’m thinking ostrich here, though, not dog). The list could go on and on.

By the way, I’m not sure what impact my cats are making on the environment. I did read that the book authors have cats, so I guess they’re okay. I think I’ll keep my dog, though, too. And when she eventually passes, I think I’ll pass on the dog burgers.
 

What about you?