Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings National

Savvy Shopper Tips: Friendly Brands for Pets, People and the Planet

Looking for inspiring pet- and Earth-friendly gift ideas? Here is a list of the top five eco-friendly brands recommended by natural pet store owners in an informal survey. Other local natural pet stores will have additional appealing ideas and products.

West Paw Design (www.WestPawDesign.com) – Look for hang tags that say “I used to be a plastic bottle,” on toys and bedding for cats and dogs. The Bumi boomerang invites pooches to bend and tug. The Hurley encourages an active canine to chew, bounce and float it, and even comes with a replacement guarantee. Cats take to their catnip toy mouse. And, if a pet tires of a West Paw Design toy, their Join the Loop program will recycle returned products into new pet toys.

Planet Dog (www.PlanetDog.com) – Planet Dog eco-products range from recycled balls and bones to a Zoom Flyer for throwing and an after-bath towel for canine comfort. The company operates a foundation providing products and funding to worthy causes based on the philosophy, “Think Globally and Act Doggedly.”

Kong Naturals (www.KongCompany.com) – Their eco-friendly line of cat toys feature straw cones with feathers, crinkle caterpillars and entertaining fantasy animals. Kong also offers cat scratchers made of recycled products, some reversible for longer wear, with feathers attached for play.

DuckyWorld (www.DuckyWorld.com) – If a fish-shaped toy with the aromatic name of “Yeowww! Stinky Catnip Sardines” brings a smile, consider DuckyWorld’s 100 percent organic, leaf- and flower-top catnip toy, grown by a private farmer with no chemicals or pesticides. Company owners swear cats can tell the difference.

The Good Dog Company (www.TheGoodDogCompany.com) – Innovation here includes two Labrador employees, Howard and Ruby, who “lab” test the company’s hemp toys, collars and leashes. Good Dog claims that its lab-sized hemp biscuits and bungee bone tug toy are good to fetch, catch and carry, and can even improve dental health.

Sweet Feet & Beak (www.SweetFeetAndBeak.com) – If a favored pet is feathered, try this bamboo perch, which offers the gift of a daily calcium supplement, along with an ongoing pedicure for bird friends.

In the end, it’s all about just doing what comes naturally for all of our gift-giving.
 

Join Our Community Newsletter