This article is free for a limited time. For full access, plus more exclusive content and perks, become a Premium Member of one5c.
For anyone trying to take a big bite out of their emissions, ditching animal products is usually step number one. But we’re not the only members of our households whose diets could be gentler on the Earth. A recently published analysis in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems says that feeding our furry friends consumes about 9% of livestock globally—and as much as 20% in the U.S.—which drives up our pets’ share of planet-warming emissions. Animal agriculture, lest we forget, is responsible for at least 25% of human-caused emissions, and some 30% of the world’s methane.
Carbon pawprints are also trending in the wrong direction. Pet owners are increasingly opting for more “human-grade” food, which is generally much higher emitting, and more households are opening their arms to four-legged freeloaders. In the U.S. alone, the number of homebound critters has tripled since the ‘70s, and the global population of dogs and cats has reached about 1 billion. That’s a lot of kibble.
But that same Frontiers study also found that switching to vegan pet food options could significantly decrease emissions. If the hundreds of millions of domesticated cats and dogs around the world gave up their carnivorous foodways, it would cut global greenhouse gas emissions by more than the combined footprints of the U.K. and New Zealand—and, in the process, free up more land than Mexico and Germany combined.
Not sure if a plant-heavy diet is right for your pet? Dozens of studies have shown plant-based diets for dogs are perfectly fine (and sometimes even have better health outcomes), because veggie options are designed to meet all pups’ nutritional needs. “Dogs have evolved into basically omnivorous animals over the 15,000 years that they have evolved with humans,” notes Gregory Okin, an environmental sustainability professor at UCLA. As for cats? It’s typically harder for a feline to go meat-free than a doggo due to their carnivorous physiology, and there’s less data on Fluffy scarfing plants than Fido, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible: One 2023 paper in the journal PLOS One found that kitties who went vegan tended to be healthier than their meat-eating counterparts.
Major pet brands are taking note of these trends, and plant-based options are slowly catching on in the U.S. Even if going totally veggie isn’t right for your pup or kitty, there are still things you can do to trim their planetary impact. We’ve laid out some do’s and don’ts when it comes to filling up the food bowl.
Do: Talk to your vet
Just like us two-legged folks, dogs and cats require a well-balanced diet of about 50 essential nutrients, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. That means an unplanned switch can lead to deficiencies and cause a variety of problems, from heart disease and bone loss to serious neurologic issues. If you’re considering the change, make sure to ask your vet or a pet nutritionist if plant-based foods will work with your pup or kitty’s unique health situation. Be sure to get their advice about brands, meal frequency and portion size, the need for additional supplements, and any warning signs or health conditions to consider or watch out for.
Don’t: Go raw
Some “premium” pet foods, particularly those that include raw meat, are actually overkill for pets’ nutritional needs, says Okin. Since these products include more “human-grade” meat, versus the “derived protein” and byproducts (often from chicken, pig, or fish) found in typical pet food, they also have a greater impact on the environment. “The trend for ‘humanization’ of pets and pet food is working against any trend of decreasing pets’ climate footprint,” says Okin.
Don’t: DIY it
Joseph J. Wakshlag, a professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, advises that people never try to make their own 100% vegan pet food. He says he’s seen well-intentioned owners throw together things like navy beans, rice, and soy and completely miss their pets’ mix of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), leading to trouble. If you’re already feeding your dog homemade grub (in consultation with your vet, right?), he suggests adding dairy or eggs for a still more sustainable blend than meat that’s also nutrient-dense, and including a supplement that contains calcium.
For cats, deficiencies in aminos can lead to major problems like heart disease and seizures, so Wakshlag says the risks are too high to attempt going totally to greens with a kitty. In all cases, homemade raw foods are particularly dangerous since they come with a chance of infection, animal nutritionists warn.
Do: Shop around
Commercial vegetarian and vegan pet foods are formulated to deliver the right mix of nutrients a pet needs to stay healthy—including all the essential amino acids, says Wakshlag. That means they pack a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains like oats, oils, and fortifying ingredients to round out vitamins and minerals. There are some options with long track records available stateside, Wakshlag says. These include Royal Canin’s vegetarian option for dogs, which is available as dry food or canned wet food, and a vegetarian version of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets. V-Dog also offers safe vegan and vegetarian options for dogs, and Bramble has a “fresh” line of plant-based pet foods. Other options with good reviews and, importantly, no known recalls include Halo’s vegan dog food, Wysong’s vegan options, Petaluma’s vegan line for senior pups, and Gather’s vegan recipe.
Again, be sure to ask your vet or pet nutritionist for a recommendation—especially if allergies are a concern for your sidekick, since many meat-based proteins can actually trigger symptoms. Also, be prepared to pay a premium: A 40-pound bag of chow from a big box store might cost less than $30, while a 6-pound bag of the same brand’s vegetarian counterpart can run over $50.
Do: If all else fails, go dry
Uncomfortable with going all plants for your very good boy? There are alternatives like insect-based kibble that aren’t necessarily vegetarian or vegan but have a much smaller impact on the planet than meaty nibbles. A caveat, though: Scientists have raised other ethical concerns about insect farming, considering how many crawlers it takes to fill up a dog food bowl.
If bugging out isn’t your bag, switching to dry food or just swapping it out for some meals can make a huge difference. Researchers estimate wet food diets emit nearly eight times as much carbon dioxide equivalents as dry food ones—again because of wet food’s heavier reliance on animal products. As you browse kibble, avoid meat-first marketing gimmicks like touts of “human-grade” ingredients, Okin says. “It’s good for the planet and also good for the pocketbook.”