⛈️ Is dog ownership causing extreme weather?!

Is there a correlation between owning a dog and climate change?

A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reveals a surprising insight: having a dog might be more harmful to the environment than many people realize.

The research explores the actions individuals take to fight climate change, how effective those actions actually are, and how people perceive their effectiveness. The core idea is the mismatch between what people think helps the planet versus what actually does.

Interestingly, choosing not to own a dog may have a greater positive effect on the climate than commonly promoted behaviors like recycling.

“Our study set out to determine whether giving people clear, evidence-based information about the climate impact of different behaviors would influence what they are willing to commit to,” explained Danielle Goldwert, a Ph.D. candidate at New York University and the study’s lead author.

The research focused on individual actions taken by Americans to mitigate climate change, which contributes to extreme weather events. These actions included everything from eating more plant-based meals and reducing air travel to installing solar panels and not owning a pet dog.

Goldwert emphasized that the study didn’t measure the carbon footprint of these behaviors directly. Instead, it analyzed people’s perceptions and how those perceptions changed when they received accurate information.

Examples of behaviors evaluated included reducing food waste, choosing energy-efficient appliances, switching to renewable energy, flying less, and avoiding pet ownership.

The study also considered collective efforts like voting for environmentally conscious policies and participating in climate-related protests.

“What we saw was a trend—people often overvalue low-impact activities such as recycling, while underestimating the impact of more meaningful choices like eating less meat or cutting down on flights,” Goldwert noted.

The Environmental Cost of Pets

Data from Faunalytics.org supports the study’s findings, showing that pets like dogs and cats are responsible for consuming around 9% of all farmed animals globally—with the figure even higher in the U.S.

Producing dry pet food alone is responsible for about 25% of the environmental impact linked to raising farm animals in the United States. The environmental footprint of wet dog food is even greater.

Goldwert clarified that the study isn’t anti-pet. “I love dogs—we have three in my family. The goal wasn’t to tell people to give up their pets but to use a wide range of examples to see how people respond to climate information,” she said.

The research team compiled a list of 21 behaviors common in the U.S., selected through a metadata analysis often used in climate studies. These behaviors were ranked based on their estimated climate impact, with avoiding dog ownership appearing as the most effective among them.

Goldwert stressed that this doesn’t mean not having a dog is universally the best way to fight climate change—it was simply the most impactful action within the specific framework and data used in this study.

Measuring Public Perception

To gauge how people evaluate climate-related actions, the researchers surveyed nearly 3,900 U.S. adults. Participants were divided into three groups: one received detailed information before ranking actions, another received it afterward, and a control group received no information at all.

Interestingly, political affiliation didn’t significantly affect how participants rated the actions.

Goldwert emphasized the importance of prioritizing high-impact behaviors. “We all have limited time, energy, and resources. So if we’re only able to make a few changes, we want those changes to count the most,” she said.

How to Lower Your Dog’s Carbon Pawprint

While Goldwert doesn’t claim to be an expert on pets, her research uncovered several ways dog owners can reduce their pet’s environmental impact.

Some of her suggestions include switching to pet foods that rely less on carbon-intensive meats like beef, minimizing waste by serving appropriate portion sizes, and choosing more sustainable pet food brands.

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

•  🏈 Now why would you go ahead and do something like that, Kyler Murray?

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• 📸 Want to feel old? Check out these portraits of dogs taken over 100 years ago!

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• 🔥 This dog has his priorities straight during a house fire!

Today’s Last Laugh:

So you’re thinking about getting a cat?

@shakeywobbles

That girl is corrupt 🐱 (sorry for the second video) #wobblycat #cerebellarhypoplasia #cat #cats #sabrinacarpenter