Vegan Dogs Lower Their Carbon Pawprint - Plant Based Treaty

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Vegan dogs lower their carbon pawprint
If you are vegan and follow a plant-based diet then you know it’s healthier for you, better for our earth, and certainly kinder to animals. But did you know dogs can also eat a plant-based diet? In the same way many parents are raising vegan kids, some are raising their canine fur babies on healthy and cruelty-free plant-based diets. Although calling dogs vegan may not be exactly accurate since pups can’t participate in the ethical side of veganism in the same way humans can. But having a plant-based pooch is becoming more common around the world, especially with new research debunking old myths and now backing up the fact that dogs can thrive on a healthy and balanced plant-based diet. Keep reading to learn how your companion canine can live a healthy and happy life without eating animals.
✘ Myth:Plant-based diets for dogs are unhealthy and commercial meat diets are the best option
✔ Fact: Dogs can live long healthy lives without eating animals and can get all their protein from plant-based food
Mishel with her favourite plant-based dog food
This topic is often a heated argument on social media and can lead to some confusing and incorrect information being shared. It’s a myth that dogs cannot be healthy without eating animal meat. The fact is dogs can get all their nutrients from plant foods and this is now backed up by the largest study of its kind out of the UK. Last year The Guardian published an article about a study lead by Professor Andrew Knight which consisted of a peer- reviewed analysis of 2,500 pets and concluded that “vegan dogs visit the vet less often and require fewer medications.”
The study was published in the journal Plos One and researched vegan versus meat-based dog foods and included conventional meat, raw meat, and vegan pet food.
“Our study is by far the largest study published to date,” said Prof Andrew Knight, at the University of Winchester, UK, and who led the study. “It revealed that the healthiest and least hazardous dietary choices for dogs are nutritionally sound vegan diets.” – The Guardian
The Plos One study concluded; “…when considering health outcomes in conjunction with dietary hazards, the pooled evidence to date from our study, and others in this field, indicates that the healthiest and least hazardous dietary choices for dogs, among conventional, raw meat and vegan diets, are nutritionally sound vegan diets. Regardless of ingredients used, diets should always be formulated to be nutritionally complete and balanced, without which adverse health effects may eventually be expected to occur.” – Plos One
The Guardian summed up the results.
“Among the findings were that 17% of dogs on conventional diets had four or more visits to the vet over the course of a year, compared with 9% for those on vegan diets and 8% for those on raw meat diets. The percentage of dogs reported to have suffered from health disorders was 49% for the conventional diet, 43% for the raw meat diet and 36% for the vegan diet.” – The Guardian
✘ Myth:Dogs are carnivores so it’s unnatural to feed them a plant-based diet
✔ Fact: Dogs are classified as Order Carnivora, but this includes huge diversity and eating meat is not a characteristic of this order
Senior dogs thriving on a plant-based diet
It’s a common debate if dogs are carnivores or omnivores, but there’s a problem with calling them carnivores. Other animals falling under the Order Carnivora include bears, raccoons, and giant pandas. Pandas are mainly herbivores and eat primarily bamboo shoots to stay healthy. There is plenty of documentation to prove dogs are in fact omnivores and can thrive on a plant-based diet. Even major commercial pet food companies state dogs are omnivorous when you examine their “anatomy, behaviour and feeding preferences.”
On the website Plant-Powered Dog, founded by vegan Canine Nutritionist Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS, the debate of dogs being omnivores or carnivores is addressed and she examines a few of the traits that separate dogs from true carnivores.
✘ Myth:It’s hard to find nutritional vegan dog food
Just like it used to be challenging to find plant-based alternatives for humans such as cheese, ice cream, yogurt, milk, burgers, fish, and eggs, now you can walk into any grocery store and the shelves are overflowing with vegan alternatives to these items. Similarly, as it becomes more common for dogs to eat plant-based and new pawrents are switching their doggies’ diets, it’s also become more accessible to find healthy well balanced vegan dog food.
But what do you feed a vegan dog?
Toronto Cow Save co-founder and organizer, Louise Jorgensen, has been feeding her four senior canine family members a plant-based diet since she adopted them many years ago.
“Their meals generally consist of a mixture of whole foods including vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, and home-made stews, with plant-based kibble. Some of their favourite treats are apple slices with peanut butter, air fried tofu, dehydrated sweet potato, mango, oat-based yogurt, and raw carrots which are great for healthy teeth, gums, and anal glands. Not only do they love their food, but they go absolutely crazy for it!”
Jorgensen continues, “they have had almost none of the health issues that most dogs this age experience.”
Plant-based dog, Mr Bean
Animal Save Movement’s Executive Director, Anita Krajnc, has adopted several canine companions over the years, including the famous Mr. Bean that attended Pig Save Vigils and brought comfort and joy to activists in attendance bearing witness to pigs. Mr. Bean, as well as her two current rescue dogs, Daisy and Mishel, eat organic vegan wheat free dog food from Vecado.
Vecado sells many vegan pet food brands such as Benova, loved by Mishel and Daisy.
Other brands making innovative vegan dog food include V-Dog, run by compassionate ethical vegans; Wild Earth that created vet-developed cruelty-free recipes; and Halo Pets makes a vegan line for dogs called Garden of Vegan. Bright Planet Pet has created healthy vegan dog treats that help save the earth.
By eating a plant-based diet your pooch lowers their carbon pawprint by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, rainforest destruction, and the mass extinction of wildlife that happens in the animal agriculture industry.
Disclaimer: When switching your pet’s diet it’s important to do it gradually by replacing a portion of their current food with new food for approximately 10 days or as directed by a veterinarian. Always monitor them closely to ensure the new food agrees with them and be on the lookout for any health issues. It’s important to consult your veterinarian if you have any concerns or questions about their diet.
Miriam Porteris an award-winning writer who writes about veganism, social justice issues, and eco-travel. Miriam currently lives in Toronto with her son Noah and many rescued furry friends. She is a passionate animal rights activist and speaks up for those whose voices cannot be heard.