Owners who feed their dogs luxury, gourmet pet food could be giving their beloved companions a bigger dietary carbon footprint than their own, according to groundbreaking new research.
The Pawprint of Premium Pet Food
Academics from the University of Edinburgh have conducted the largest study to date into the climate impact of dog food. Their analysis found that wet, raw, and grain-free diets are the most environmentally damaging, with recipes containing beef and lamb having the highest impact.
The production of ingredients for UK dog food is estimated to contribute around one per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. This revelation comes as trendy, high-end pet food featuring duck, goose, and venison has surged in popularity among owners seeking the best for their pets.
Staggering Disparity in Environmental Impact
The researchers, from Edinburgh and Exeter universities, calculated the carbon footprint of nearly 1,000 commercially available dog foods. They used ingredient and nutrient labelling data, basing calculations on emissions generated during ingredient production.
The sample included dry, wet, and raw foods, including plant-based and grain-free options. The findings were stark: the highest impact foods were responsible for a staggering 65 times more emissions than the greenest options.
John Harvey, from the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the study's principal investigator, explained the dilemma many face. "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," he said.
How to Reduce Your Dog's Carbon Pawprint
The study pinpointed key factors driving emissions. Using large amounts of prime, human-quality meat – a selling point for many premium brands – significantly pushes up the climate cost. Conversely, using nutritious carcass parts, which are in low demand, helps limit environmental damage.
Dry food not marketed as grain-free tended to have a lower environmental impact than wet, raw, or grain-free alternatives. The research team advises that owners wanting to reduce their pet's impact without changing food type should scrutinise labels, aiming for products with a lower content of prime meat cuts.
An increase in plant-based dog food could also curb emissions, though the study noted only a small number of such diets were available to test. Mr Harvey urged the industry to act: "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 scale of the issue is vast. The experts estimated that producing enough food of the types fed in the UK for all dogs worldwide could generate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than half of those from burning jet fuel in commercial flights each year.
The study, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, has been published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
