Banning bulldogs 🐶 and turning salon trash to social treasure

Shout out to my bulldog buddies and Cav companions - I've been thinking of you. You know I can't resist a sniff of your adorable faces (and behinds) in the park. So I did some digging, and it turns out it's not just me! Humans are instinctively drawn to those wide-eyed, chubby chops because they resemble human babies. Or is it the other way around?

Anyway, on my walks, I've been pondering the news that earlier this year, Norway ended the breeding of Cavalier King Charles spaniels and English bulldogs due to the health issues the pooches face. (Literally their faces).

So much more than a pretty mug, Cavs and bulldogs appeal to busy folk and families thanks to their laid-back nature and kid-friendly attitude. No wonder bulldogs are the fifth most popular dog in the US, with Cavs at 17.

And there's the rub. These pooches have become so popular that they've ended up with a few health problems through generations of breeding. So Norway decided not to continue breeding them this way, as it's against its Animal Welfare Act. Instead, the hope is that future generations with mixed parentage will be healthier, happier and live longer.

Love to my bulldog and Cav pals and a nod of the chin to all movements aimed at giving us doggos a healthy, happy life. 

ANDRE HUNTS DOWN THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

'Andre, how can I give Benson a treat without harming the planet?'

If Benson’s anything like me, he loves a tasty treat. But most doggie delicacies come wrapped in plastic with a one-way ticket to landfill. Not great for the planet.

But fear not! I’ve sniffed out a recipe for zero waste snacks made from furry-friendly ingredients you’ll probably have in the cupboard.

Make sure they’re totally cool before throwing to Benson. No burnt tongues here!

Hurry Hack: Skip the cooking part and put them straight in the fridge.

Thanks to Trash is for Tossers for the recipe.

 

  
THE DIRT WORTH ROLLING IN...

1. Lab-grown meat for pets may not be the underdog for long {link}
2. I'll have the peanut butter with no palm oil and a twist of algae {link}
3. Jabs, grub and belly rubs for Morocco’s three million stray dogs {link}

 

DID YOU KNOW...

Benson & our furry friends in the USA eat more than 200 petajoules (I know, it sounds like I made it up, but it’s a measure of energy) worth of nosh per year. That’s the same as the human population of France. Bone Appetit! 🦴

 

HUMANS THAT PLAY NICE WITH THE PLANET™

Sustainable Salons 

These bodacious humans are doing so much good it makes me need a nap!

They recycle all kinds of materials from salons across Australia and New Zealand. It's where we get our recycled plastic to make fierce dog leashes.

They've kept 221,747kg – that's 73,915 chihuahuas-worth – of plastic out of landfills.

Profits from their recycling efforts feed hungry humans. So far, they've served up 169,000 delicious dinners.

And one for my hairy home-hounds, strands collected from the salon floor go to soak up oil spills. While snipped ponytails make medical wigs for humans with cancer or alopecia.

Their work is worthy of a tail-shake dance. Check them out here.

 

That’s all for this month, I’m off to get some banana biscuits in my belly.

See you in May.