A groundbreaking study has revealed that the UK's canine companions are leaving a significant carbon pawprint, with commercial dog food production responsible for a notable slice of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.
Research from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Exeter found that dog food accounts for approximately 1% of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions. This equates to between 2.3% and 3.7% of the emissions from the entire UK food system.
Staggering Disparity Between Dog Food Types
The analysis, which scrutinised nearly 1,000 commercially available products, uncovered extreme variations in environmental impact. The most startling finding was that the highest-impact dog foods were responsible for up to 65 times more emissions than the lowest-impact options.
The type of food made a dramatic difference. Wet foods, raw diets, and those marketed as grain-free or meat-rich were consistently associated with substantially higher emissions. In contrast, standard dry kibble foods had a significantly lower climate footprint.
Prime Meat vs. Carcass Parts: The Key Driver
The primary factor behind this vast disparity is the source of meat used. Products containing large quantities of prime cuts of meat—the same quality typically consumed by humans—drive emissions sky-high. The production of this meat is resource-intensive.
Conversely, foods that utilise nutritious carcass parts, offal, and other by-products that are in low demand for human consumption help to limit the environmental impact. Using these parts makes efficient use of the animal and reduces waste.
"As a veterinary surgeon working on environmental sustainability, I regularly see owners torn between ideals of dogs as meat‑eating ‘wolves’ and their wish to reduce environmental harm," said the study’s principal investigator, John Harvey, from the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
Recommendations for Eco-Conscious Dog Owners
For pet owners wanting to minimise their dog's environmental impact without switching food types, the researchers offer clear advice. They recommend checking label descriptions carefully and aiming for foods with a lower content of prime meat.
The study also noted that an increased use of nutritionally complete plant-based dog foods could reduce emissions, but cautioned that only a small number were available for analysis. The team emphasised the need for more development and research in this area.
Harvey added a call to action for the industry: "The pet food industry should make sure meat cuts used are of the types not typically eaten by humans, and that labelling is clear. These steps can help us have healthy, well-fed dogs with a smaller pawprint on the planet."
The global implications are considerable. If the rest of the world fed their dogs similarly to Britons, the resulting emissions would be equivalent to more than half of those produced by burning jet fuel in commercial flights annually.
