Plant-Based Dog Foods Beat Meat-Based in Environmental Impact Study
A new study published in Frontiers in Nutrition-Nutrition and Sustainable Diets has revealed significant differences in the environmental impact of commercially available dry dog foods in the UK. The research, which examined 31 products across five categories, found that plant-based options required fewer resources and produced lower emissions than their meat-based counterparts.
The study used life cycle assessment datasets to evaluate environmental metrics including land use, greenhouse gas emissions, acidifying emissions, eutrophying emissions, and freshwater withdrawal. Beef-based diets required an estimated 102.15 square meters of land per 1,000 kilocalories, compared to just 2.73 square meters for plant-based alternatives. Over a nine-year period, feeding a 20-kilogram Labrador Retriever exclusively beef-based food would demand 334,851 square meters of land, while plant-based options required approximately 8,964 square meters.
Greenhouse gas emissions were also lower for plant-based foods. Beef-based foods generated 31.47 kilograms of CO2 equivalent versus 2.82 kilograms for plant-based options. Lamb-based foods showed the highest environmental impact, requiring 365,409 square meters of land over the dog's lifetime. Poultry-based and veterinary diets had higher environmental impacts than plant-based alternatives but lower than beef-based diets.
The study highlights the potential for pet owners to reduce their environmental footprint by choosing plant-based dog foods. While the environmental impact of pet food is often overlooked, this research demonstrates that dietary choices can make a significant difference. As such, pet owners may wish to consider the environmental impact of their pet's diet alongside other factors when making feeding decisions.
