Dog owner shares money-saving method to make use of old toilet paper rolls: 'Going to have to try this'

A TikToker recently shared an imaginative hack that reused a common household item. 

The scoop

"DIY enrichment on a rainy day for my crazy, smart Houlas!" Kristin (@kristinh72) wrote in the video caption.

@kristinh72 DIY enrichment on a rainy day for my crazy, smart Houlas! #toiletpaperrolls #yummytreats #ilovemycatahoulaleoparddogs #deafdogsrock #smarterthantheirowngood #huxleyandchauncey ♬ original sound - Kristin

Kristin carefully ran a string through a series of used toilet paper rolls, taped one side of them closed, and filled the tubes with dog snacks at the other end. Once anchored at either end, her dogs had loads of fun sniffing around the rolls and getting the treats inside.

Some equally enterprising pet owners have tried similar things with toilet paper rolls. One person instead closed both ends of the roll. With a little bit of extra craftiness, you can build a whole honeycomb for dogs to play through.  

How it's helping

Repurposing packaging like this can save pet owners a few bucks since they don't have to buy new toys for their furry friends, but that's just where the benefits start. Since they don't have to buy new toys, it means avoiding the ecological footprint of making new toys.

It also means fewer used toys going to the trash heap once pets are done with them. Plastics break down over time and feed particles into waterways. These microplastics eventually end up in the fish we catch and the animals we eat. Once ingested by humans, microplastics can introduce all sorts of endocrine, immune, and reproductive problems.

This reuse also means keeping paper rolls out of landfills just a little while longer. Paper recycles quite well, but when not processed, it can produce methane as it decomposes.

This contributes to heating the atmosphere, which can hasten the melting of ice caps and raise sea levels. A warmer atmosphere heats oceans and harms marine ecosystems. It also exacerbates destructive weather patterns.  

What everyone's saying

TikTok commenters were keen to give Kristin's toilet paper roll dog toy a try.

"Great idea! Going to have to try this!!! Thank you for the tip!!!" said one viewer.

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"Girl!!! I so need to do this for my pig!!!!" said another community member.

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