Dog food accounts for 1% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to research that found wet, raw and meat-rich products were associated with substantially higher emissions than dry kibble.
The analysis revealed striking differences in the environmental impact of commercial dog foods, with the highest-impact foods being responsible for up to 65 times more emissions than the lowest-rated options.
The findings will leave environmentally conscious pet owners torn between giving their dogs the most delicious food and minimising their impact on the climate.
“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.
“Our research shows just how large and variable the climate impact of dog food really is. It’s important for owners to know that choosing grain-free, wet or raw foods can result in higher impacts compared to standard dry kibble foods,” he added.
Scientists from the universities of Edinburgh and Exeter used ingredient and nutrient labelling information to calculate the carbon footprint of almost 1,000 commercially available dog foods.
Overall, they found producing the ingredients for the UK’s commercial dog foods contributes 2.3–3.7% of UK food system greenhouse gas emissions, or 0.9–1.3% of total UK emissions.
If the rest of the world fed their dogs the way Britons do, it would generate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than half of those from burning jet fuel in commercial flights each year.
But the impact varied widely between different varieties. Using large amounts of prime meat – which could otherwise be eaten by humans – pushes up emissions, while the use of nutritious carcass parts that are in low demand helps limit environmental impact. Dry food, not marketed as grain-free, tended to have a lower impact than wet, raw or grain-free options.
Dog owners who want to reduce environmental impacts but not change food type should check the label description of meat cuts used in the food, aiming for a lower content of prime meat, the researchers said.
An increase in the use of plant-based dog foods could also reduce emissions – but the research team cautioned that only a small number of plant-based foods were available to test for this study.
Harvey added: “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.”
