How to be an Energy-Efficient Pet Owner
If you own a pet, you may be wasting electricity without realizing it. In warmer months, follow these pet-friendly, energy-efficient tips to save money while keeping your four-legged friend happy.
Photo and videos courtesy of TXU Energy and the SPCA of Texas.
Keeping Cool
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"When it comes to the comfort level of an animal in the home, the most important thing is temperature. Cats and dogs can do just find in a house that’s a little bit warmer to save on that energy cost." — Inga Fricke, Humane Society of the United States director of sheltering and pet care issues |
Set the temp to 78°-80°:
- The Department of Energy's EnergySavers.gov site recommends keeping your thermostat at 78°F while you're at home and 85° when the house is empty during the summer. But if you're leaving a furry friend inside, stick to 78°-80° degrees. You still save money (running your air conditioning at 78° instead of 72° can save 6-18% on your cooling bill), but you'll also keep your pet comfortable.
- Keep in mind that regular body temperature for cats and dogs is 3°-4° higher than for humans, so if it's comfortable for you it's likely comfortable for your pet. One caveat: Older animals, as well as cats and dogs with "smushed" or pushed-in faces – like pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats – may have a harder time controlling their internal body temperature, so ask your vet about their ideal temperature at your annual check-up.
Turn off the fan: Feline and canine bodies aren't covered with sweat glands like human bodies, so they don't benefit much from electric fans. Go ahead and switch off the overhead and table-side fan when you leave the house.
Consider a doggie door, but use your best judgment:
If you have an outdoor pet, you might be wondering if a doggie door is more efficient than opening and closing your regular door.
"I’d bet that the differences between door and doggie door on your household energy use are very small compared to lots of other things, such as having good weather stripping and a door sweep," said Alliance to Save Energy Senior Policy Manager Rodney Sobin, himself a dog owner.
However, high-efficiency doggie door models on the market do up the ante for energy savings, especially if they are well-fitted and shut tightly.
Lessons on Lighting
Turn the lights off: You may like to have the lights on when you're home, but your pet doesn't need artificial light. Both cats and dogs rest during the day, and having the lights on can disturb their naps. Animals like consistency, so consider putting a timer on your lights, suggests Fricke. And if it's at night, don't worry: Animals' circadian rhythms thrive on nature's schedule of daytime light and nighttime darkness.
Close the curtains: Sunlight can heat up your indoor space, but animals need exposure to natural light to be healthy. Luckily, pets get the benefits of sunlight even if it is filtered through a covered window. So, keep your home cool by shutting the blinds, drawing the drapes, or tacking solar film on notoriously sunny windows, but leave a shady window uncovered so your pet can watch what's happening in the outside world.
Entertainment.jpg)
Turn off the TV:
It's true that certain movements, colors, or frequencies in TV or radio can attract some pets. Constant sound also can disturb their cat (or dog) naps. So, it's better to give cats and dogs toys to play with, rather than something to watch or listen to.
"If you want your pet to be stimulated during the day, it's easier and more cost-effective to use activity toys," Fricke said. She suggested stuffing a KONG toy with peanut butter for your pet to lick all day, or freezing kibble in ice cubes and giving them to your pet. Such activities allow pets to amuse themselves, keep them from missing you, and help them "stay out of trouble," Fricke added.
Water Savers
Fix the faucet: Don't be fooled that letting your faucet leak is any better for your pet than a fresh water bowl. A leaky faucet just wastes water and drives up your water bill. It's more efficient to get a low-voltage pet fountain.
Choose cold water: Time to wash your cat or dog's favorite blanket? Set your washing machine to "cold water." Cold-water washing gets fabric just as clean and uses up to 90% less energy than the warm or hot cycle.
More on Pet Energy Efficiency
TXU Energy and the SPCA of Texas have several fantastic resources for energy-efficient pet owners:
- Watch the video on the right to learn tips from vets and energy experts on saving energy with your cat or dog
- Check out this super helpful and easy-to-read infographic on saving energy and caring for your pet
- Take this survey on what you do to keep your pet comfortable while saving electricity
