Plant-Based Dog Food's Surprising Climate Impact
A groundbreaking study, published in 2025, reveals the stark environmental differences between plant-based and meat-based dog foods. The research, titled 'Environmental impact of feeding plant-based vs. meat-based dry dog foods in the United Kingdom', highlights the significant role our pets' diets play in global emissions.
The study found that lamb- and beef-based diets require over 37 times more land and generate over 10 times more CO2 than plant-based diets. Water usage is also significantly higher, with lamb and beef diets using over 500 and 600 liters of water each per 1000 kcals, compared to just 249 liters for plant-based foods. This means that the nearly 500 million pet dogs worldwide in 2018 contributed to global emissions similar to the Philippines.
However, the news isn't all bleak. Plant-based dog food has the smallest environmental footprint, with 14 to 16 times lower eutrophication and acidifying effects than beef-based feed. Shifting towards lower-impact pet food ingredients can significantly reduce the sector's ecological impact. A meat-heavy diet for a dog requires 57 football-fields' worth of land, while a plant-based diet needs only 1.4 fields.
The study underscores the importance of considering our pets' diets in our overall efforts to combat climate change. Feeding pets a primarily plant-based diet can reduce their carbon footprint significantly, contributing to a more sustainable future for both our pets and the planet.
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