Leave a Smaller 'Paw Print' This National Dog Day
TRENTON, NJ (August 18, 2025) – National Dog Day is a time to celebrate the love and companionship pets bring into our lives. This year, TerraCycle® encourages pet parents to take action by recycling animal-related items that aren’t typically accepted by curbside recyclers.
It's estimated that the U.S. pet food industry produces 400 million tons of plastic waste yearly. Most pet food packaging is made from non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle materials, resulting in 99% of all pet food packaging being thrown away rather than recycled, and ending up in landfills or oceans. But it doesn’t have to be that way. TerraCycle’s recycling solutions make it easy to keep pet-related packaging, toys, bowls, leashes, and more out of landfills and incinerators—whether you're at home, at the vet, or on the go.
To help pet lovers take action, TerraCycle offers a range of free and paid recycling options:
Zero Waste Box™ Solutions:
Recycle pet-related items that aren’t typically accepted through curbside services using TerraCycle’s paid Zero Waste Box™ solutions:
- Pet Food Packaging - Zero Waste Box™: Recycle all brands of dry food bags, treat pouches, and other packaging.
- Pet Products (Non-Food) - Zero Waste Box™: Recycle toys, chews, pet bowls, leashes, and more.
- All-In-One Zero Waste Box™: Recycle a mix of items including pet packaging and accessories.
Free National Recycling Programs:
Recycle select pet food and treat packaging for free through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored programs:
- Wellness® Pet Food Recycling Program: Recycle empty packaging from Wellness®, WHIMZEES®, and Old Mother Hubbard® dog and cat food and treats.
- Earthborn Holistic® Recycling Program: Recycle bags and UPCs from Earthborn Holistic® pet food products.
- Open Farm® Recycling Program: Recycle Open Farm® pet food packaging, including bags and boxes.
- Royal Canin® Recycling Program: Recycle dry food bags, wet food containers, and treat pouches from Royal Canin®.
Retail Drop-Off Recycling Programs:
Leading retailers sponsor these programs and allow pet parents to drop off qualifying packaging from participating brands:
- Pet Supplies Plus® Recycling Program: Drop off select pet food packaging at participating stores.
- PetSmart® Recycling Program: Drop off qualifying dog and cat food packaging at participating PetSmart® locations.
Veterinary Recycling Solution:
VetCycle™: For veterinary offices, VetCycle™ offers an easy way to recycle hard-to-recycle clinical materials like pill bottles, syringe packaging, PPE, and more.
“The reality is that most pet-related items—from food bags to worn-out toys—are not accepted curbside and are destined for landfills or incinerators,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle “By offering convenient, trusted recycling solutions, TerraCycle makes it easy for pet lovers and vets alike to return these items for responsible processing.”
Whether you recycle through a Zero Waste Box™, a free recycling program, or a participating retail location or vet clinic, all accepted materials are sent to TerraCycle for processing. Once received, the materials are recycled into pellets that can be used to make new products—ensuring nothing is landfilled or incinerated.
TerraCycle, the leader in recycling the unrecyclable—items that aren’t typically accepted through curbside recycling services—created these solutions to make recycling more accessible for everyone, and to keep waste out of our environment. To learn more about TerraCycle and its recycling programs for pet lovers, visit terracycle.com.
About TerraCycle
TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to rethink waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community across a wide range of accessible programs, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and individuals. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit www.terracycle.com.