The Credit Crunch: how dog owners are feeling the pinch and what to do to save money

At a time when food prices are rising, fuel is expensive, house prices are dropping and repossessions are increasing, it's easy to see how every family might want to tighten their belts.

One sad consequence of the 'credit crunch' in the UK is an increase in the number of dogs brought to Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres. With waiting lists growing, we do feel sympathy for those owners who feel they simply have no option but to give up their pet. Still, we urge dog owners (and those considering adopting a dog) to remember that simple measures such as neutering your dog and taking out pet insurance will pay dividends in the long run.

Some dog owners might think they can't afford to neuter their dog but Dogs Trust works with numerous veterinary practices and local councils on subsidised and free neutering programs. If you claim benefit and live within one of our campaign regions (North East, North West, Wales and Northern Ireland), you might be entitled to help with neutering costs. Follow the link to check if your postcode qualifies and find out more.

If you think you might soon be suffering from housing crisis, Dogs Trust Hope Project might be able to help too. Although the Veterinary Entitlement Card scheme is available only to homeless applicants, resources such as this list of UK-wide dog-friendly homelessness projects (including shelters, housing schemes and advice centres) could stop you from having to make the heartwrenching decision to give up your loyal four-legged companion at an already difficult time.

Some other charities and veterinary groups do offer free health checks, emergency treatments and subsidies. Try ringing around this list of veterinary contacts to find out more.

Many owners aren't in financial dire straits but want to reduce costs and count the pennies, whether short of cash, saving for something special or just a keen bargain hunter. My thanks to Petsugar, which inspired some of these tips:

• Give up your gym membership; what's better exercise than running around with your dog?
• Write a brutally honest list of your pet's needs and work out where you might be spending too much on toys and gadgets that aren't necessary.
• Luxury foods (with luxury prices) might not be offering your pet any more nutrients and could be loaded with extra fat and protein they don't need. Check ingredients, talk to your vet and make a healthy, budget-friendly choice of chow.
• Got a birthday coming up and would rather have something for the pets? Let your friends know!
• Prioritise your dog's health. Regular check ups, vaccinations and fast responses to illness will stop serious problems developing and the associated vet bills spiralling.
• Bargain hunt! Don't skimp on quality when it comes to toys and equipment as this could be dangerous (not to mention more expensive in the long run) but do pay attention to sales and bulk buys that could last a long time.

It's a hard time, but you need not make it harder by giving up your beloved pet. Remember, a dog is for life.

Earth Day: How to be a green dog owner

I've been a long time not-so-secret fan of eco-blogs like Treehugger and Hippyshopper, and today they really come into their own for Earth Day. As dog owners, there's no reason at all why we can't uphold the principles and practices events like Earth Day encourage. In fact, it's easy and not particularly expensive to do so.

For one, a quick Google search reveals that there are many online retailers now offering eco-friendly dog toys such as hemp chew ropes and soft dumbells made of recycled material as well as beds incorporating a high proportion of post-consumer waste.

What about the eternal poo conundrum (a sentence I never thought I'd write!)?! We dutifully scoop up our pets', erm, deposits, but then throw away the very biodegradable waste sealed tight in a plastic bag that might take up to 100 years to decompose. More and more supermarkets are turning to bags for life and reusable shoppers so we might not even have a ready stock of carrier bags to reuse soon. Again, a speedy search reveals that quite a few companies are already thinking of solutions. One example is BioBags, which created bags in response to the Scottish Dog Fouling Act that degrade along with their contents over a couple of months. Don't be fooled into thinking biodegradable poop scoop bags won't be just as good at reducing smell and holding contents - they're just as strong and effective.

If your dog uses the garden rather than the public highways, there are other ways of dealing with waste, too. Dog bacterial toilet systems have been around for years; I remember a primary school friend's Westie, Jock, using one like this back in the 80s.

Don't forget that the other end of the digestive system can also be more eco-friendly! There are plenty of dog foods that are grown without hormones and pesticides, so organic pet food is always a possibility. Or if you're a vegetarian who's focussed on reducing the amount of grain grown for animal feed, you can get grain-free pet foods produced in sustainable ways. Also handy if you spent last week busily sweeping chometz out of the house for Pesach! Of course, you can also make your own dog food cheaply by simply making a little extra of what's already in your kitchen, ensuring that you do your research and your dog gets the right amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Discussions about that have been all over the DoggySnaps forums recently, so you know where to go for advice.

For more tips and ideas, use a search engine to get started or check out blogs like PupLife who have a handy top five list of ways to improve your green dog ownership.

Now turn off the computer to save energy and go take your dog for a walk!