Sustainable Dog Food For A Healthy Pet

With the climate emergency growing, more and more people are looking for ways to live more sustainably. From food to clothing, everyone wants to know how to make a difference. But what about pet food? Where does pet food stand on the sustainability scale?

Did you know that dog food is actually responsible for a significant chunk of the impact of the meat industry? As one of the top polluters, the meat industry releases tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere every day, and dog food is part of this.

We wondered if there were sustainable dog food options out there and so we've done a bit of digging. Check out what we found out below.

What is sustainable dog food?

Sustainable dog food is dog food that is created with future generations in mind. It is created with the intention of only using the energy and ingredients that are needed and leaving the rest where they belong.

Sustainable dog food can mean many things, from the company's policies to the product itself. We've rounded up a few key aspects that make for a sustainable dog food option. Check them out below.

• The ingredients in the product are sourced from small or local farms, reducing the carbon footprint of the company and reducing waste on these farms. Locally sourced ingredients significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the product, and you know exactly where the ingredients have come from. Eco-friendly dog food should be full of locally harvested ingredients.
• Meat should come from ethically raised animals. Animal welfare is as much a part of the climate crisis as greenhouse gases and the meat in sustainable dog food is best when from ethically, naturally reared animals.
• Ingredients should be organic and pesticide-free. This one is about the health of your dog as much as the health of the planet. For your dog, avoiding harmful pesticide residue means avoiding any negative side effects. For the planet, organic farming and food production mean protecting the earth from the negative impacts of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
• A low emission food processing method, such as freeze-drying the food or creating dehydrated food should be used.
• Choosing a sustainable protein option, like cage-free poultry, wild-caught fish, caught using sustainable fishing practices, or insects, rather than beef which is known to have the greatest environmental impact.
• Eco-friendly corporate practices, like reducing flights for executives and offsetting carbon emissions.

There are many other aspects that could make a dog's food sustainable and are similar to what makes human food sustainable. Overall, the aim of sustainable dog food, and other pet food, like cat food, is to have as little impact on the earth as possible. The dog foods claiming to be sustainable should make the effort to ensure that their practice does not harm the planet further.

What are some sustainable dog food brands?

When choosing sustainable dog food options, the choice can be quite overwhelming. With so many different labels, ingredient lists, and promises, choosing the right brand can be difficult.

We've been doing our research on the best sustainable dog food brands around and have gathered our list below. Check it out and make the choice a little easier.

Biopet

Biopet makes both cat food and dog food in an eco-friendly way. They are a fantastic sustainable pet food company based in New South Wales, Australia. With more than 25 years of experience, the brand knows what they're doing. Sourcing raw food ingredients from Australian farmers, the brand stays local, ensuring their products are fresh and of the highest quality.

The products that Biopet offers are Australian Certified Organic, contain no GMOs and come in grain-free and vegan dog food options.

Pawsome Organics

Another Australian and certified organic brand, Pawsome Organics use their in-house animal nutritionist to create nutritious and healthy pet foods, perfect for the climate-conscious pet owner. Pawsome Organics offer a range of fantastic dog treats that are entirely Australian made.

Being organic, the entire Pawsome range is free from synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, and artificial ingredients. Instead, the products are packed full of quality ingredients.

Rascals Treats

Rascals Treats are an eco-friendly dog food company. They use eco-friendly waste management at all their sites, ensuring that they reduce waste and deal with any waste they do produce in a way that does not have a negative environmental impact. Rascals Treats also use home-compostable packaging materials along with other sustainable packing items to ensure that they reduce their carbon footprint.

Rascals Treats are a sustainable and ethical company working to nurture your dog and help them get the most nutritious dog food it can. With eco-friendly packaging and quality ingredients, this fantastic brand is perfect for sustainable pet owners.

Our top sustainable dog food products

With all this talk of sustainable dog food, you're probably wondering which products you should buy. Well, fear not, we've gathered a list of our absolute favourite sustainable dog food products below. Check them out!

Biopet Grain-Free Adult Dog Food

This Adult Dog Food is grain-free and suitable for mature dogs. With a focus on a dog's natural diet, this free from grains option protects dogs with food allergies and ensures fewer skin and digestive problems. The lean protein used in these products is free from artificial flavours and includes natural prebiotics and other essential nutrients.

Nature's Pet Sausage Snaps

These sausage dog treats from Nature's Pet are the perfect treat for your dog. Made using natural ingredients and absolutely nothing artificial. High in protein, these treats help to reduce tartar buildup and are made entirely in Australia, helping you to reduce your carbon footprint.

Pawsome Organics Banana and Hemp Dog Treats

Made using nutritious and beneficial ingredients, these pet treats come from one of our favourite sustainable pet food brands and offer a vegan-friendly dog food option. Perfect for reducing inflammation in pets with allergies, these can aid achy joints. They contain lots of essential fatty acids and are perfect for anyone with a dog on a vegan diet.

Rascals Treats Plant-Based Dog Treats

These vegan-friendly treats are perfect for vegan dog owners. Packed full of nutrients and other good-for-dog stuff, these treats contain absolutely no artificial flavours, colours, or preservatives and are the perfect choice for those looking for vegan dog food options.

There are lots and lots of choices when it comes to sustainable dog food. If you haven't seen something you like here, check out our Pet Care page and find more dog food options there!

Other sustainable pet care

Dogs make for great pets but some practices surrounding dog care can be detrimental to the environment. There are a few steps you can take to ensure you’re not causing more harm, like using compostable dog waste bags or composting your dog’s waste. In addition, you can choose environmentally friendly dog toys to keep your dog happy while also keeping the environment healthy!

Conclusion

Sustainable dog food covers lots of bases. With organic, ethically sourced, and locally harvested options, choosing sustainable dog food has never been easier. We've gathered some of our favourite sustainable dog food options for you to peruse here but the world really is your oyster when it comes to eco-friendly pet food options.

Choosing sustainable dog food means choosing a kinder product that is more beneficial to your dog and to the planet. Check out our dog food range online and see if you can find something you like. (You'll also find other pet food there too, like cat food!!)

Frequently asked questions

What is sustainable dog food?

Sustainable dog food is dog food that doesn't cause harm to the planet. Sustainable pet food is created using ethically sourced and organic ingredients and is processed in ways that use limited energy, like freeze-drying and dehydrating. Sustainable dog food may also come from sustainable dog food brands that act in an eco-friendly way, meaning their company tries to reduce emissions and find ways to balance their carbon footprint.

How can dogs be sustainable?

There are a number of ways that dogs can be sustainable pets. Check them out below:

• Adopt from a shelter! This helps to conserve resources and ensures pets find loving homes.
• Use sustainable products, like sustainable pet foods and sustainable dog toys.
• Compost your dog poop! Animal faeces do not biodegrade in landfills, meaning that it rots instead. Composting your dog's poo is an easy and environmentally friendly option.

What dog foods should I avoid?

When choosing dog foods, there are certain ingredients you should avoid. These include:

• BHA/BHT
• White flour
• Unspecified meat or meat meal
• Artificial colours
• MSG
• Gluten
• Corn Syrup
• Farmed salmon
• Xylitol and other sugar alcohols which are toxic to dogs
• Soy
• STPP
• Nitrites/Nitrates
• Salt
• Rendered fat

Is having a dog eco-friendly?

Having a dog can be very eco-friendly, provided you care for it in a sustainable way. Choosing to buy from sustainable pet food companies, using eco-friendly toys, and composting dog waste are all steps you can take to ensure your dog isn't having a detrimental effect on the environment.