If all the world’s dogs went vegan, it would have a significant impact on the environment and could feed more than the entire EU population, according to veterinarian Andrew Knight. In a peer-reviewed study, Knight suggests that household cats and dogs should also adopt plant-based diets, as this would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, and use less land. He emphasizes that while plant-based diets are known to be better for the planet, the impact of pet food has often been overlooked. Knight highlights the potential environmental benefits of nutritionally sound vegan pet food.
Pets make up about 10 percent of the global population, and their numbers are increasing, which means they contribute significantly to the consumption of livestock animals. Knight argues that the environmental impacts of pet food should not be ignored when considering overall diet-related environmental impacts. He believes that using nutritionally sound vegan diets for dogs, cats, and humans can lead to great benefits for environmental sustainability.
The vegan dog food market has been growing rapidly, with a value of US$14 billion in 2023 and projected to reach US$26 billion by 2033. Knight urges pet owners who care about the environment or their animals’ health to consider nutritionally complete vegan pet food from reputable companies. However, he emphasizes the importance of choosing commercial diets that are labeled as nutritionally complete and produced by trustworthy companies to ensure the health of the pets.
While there are environmental benefits to vegan diets for pets, veterinarian Lee Pickett cautions that evidence of veganism meeting the nutritional needs of pets is lacking. Pickett points out that cats, in particular, require meat-based diets because their digestive systems are not adapted to process plant materials. Cats are obligate carnivores and need nutrients like methionine and arachidonic acid that are found in meat, but not in plants. Additionally, carnivores like cats have different vitamin requirements compared to omnivores.
The study on veganism for pets, funded by the Food System Research Fund, pet food company Wild Earth, and the food awareness organization ProVeg International, was published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. While the study highlights the potential benefits of plant-based diets for pets, it also raises concerns about the nutritional adequacy of such diets for certain animals like cats. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects and viability of vegan pet diets.