Lest our dog-owning readers think that the above comic unfairly singles out their pooches, note that the original research it is commenting upon is not limited to canines. It turns out that a variety of pets have numerous, oft-overlooked consequences for the environment, be it illegal bird and fish trafficking, or the insistence that Fluffy should eat better than her owner. The latter is a rather disturbing and unnatural trend since undomesticated Felis and Canis eat as much of their prey as they can, offal and all. Indeed, one of the major impacts of free ranging cats is songbird predation.

Water pollution is another unfortunate side-effect of pets. Pooper-scooper laws are not just about aesthetics and clean shoes, but public and environmental health. Besides carrying a variety of pathogens, Spot’s spots are essentially fertilizer and can contribute to algal blooms and fish kills if they make it into water ways. It is especially important to clean up after your dog—and there are free baggie dispensers in case you forget to grab some on your way out—if you bring him to Fresh Pond, since this beautiful water body is an important wildlife habitat and a part of our water supply. Cat waste can also contribute to water pollution. Flushable litter has lead to the decline of Californian sea otters, and it can infect other wildlife as well e.g; filter-feeders such as oysters and clams. Other choices of litter are also problematic, although a variety of less harmful options are available.

None of this is to say that you should not have a pet, or dissuade you from pets in the future, but merely to add to the list of things you should consider before doing so besides whether or not you have the necessary time to devote to the pet’s care and convincing your landlord/partner to allow it.

• Adopt rather than buy, and if you’re leaning towards exotics be sure to purchase from a reputable dealer.
• Always spay or neuter.
• Keep Fluffy indoors, and clean up after Spot.
• Although Fluffy (arguably) cannot survive on bread alone, neither she nor Spot needs filet mingon or Patagonia toothfish
• If you keep fish, be careful with your aquarium plants to avoid contributing to the spread of invasive species such as Caulerpa taxifolia