Pets are part of many families. But they can hurt the planet. Their food and poop matter. Scientists found ways to help. Pets can be loved and earth-friendly. Dogs are popular pets. The United States has about 90 million dogs. What dogs eat is their biggest impact. Dog food with meat uses lots of resources. Raising animals takes land, water, and energy. It also causes climate change. Scientists studied nearly 1,000 dog foods. Wet and raw foods are worse. Wet food cans use lots of energy. Raw food has more meat and needs cold storage. Beef and lamb are bad choices. Dry food without these meats is better. Grain-free food is not needed. Do not overfeed your dog. Smaller dogs eat less. They have a smaller footprint. Dog poop is another problem. Poop left outside can pollute water. It may have germs. Owners should pick up poop. Plastic bags create pollution. Composting is a better way. Dog poop can become helpful fertilizer. But compostable bags become microplastics. Use paper or a tool to scoop poop. Then put it in a compost bin. Cats are also popular. Over 76 million cats live in the U.S. Dry cat food is greener. Cats eat less than dogs. But cats hurt wildlife. They kill billions of birds and animals. Their smell can scare wildlife. Keep cats indoors to protect animals. There are many ways to care for pets and the planet. Small changes can make a big difference.