Vegan Dog Food Market Set For Global Boom, Says New Report
Increased awareness of the health benefits of plant-protein and the environmental impact of meat are among reasons why the likes of Katy Perry and Lewis Hamilton are feeding their dogs vegan dog food.
Credit: Wild Earth
The race for sustainable food solutions to feed the world’s growing population is well underway as start-ups, food scientists, and the world’s leading food brands continue to market sustainable plant-proteins and develop lab-grown meat.
But it’s not just food that humans are eating: the pet-food market is also set to be transformed over the coming years as innovative companies and tech start-ups re-imagine food for our companion animals in more sustainable and healthy ways.
One of the leading players in this area is the increasing popularity of plant-based dog food. By replacing animal meat with plant-protein, the vegan dog food market is set to grow at 12% in the period 2021 to 2028, according to an extensive new report by market analysts Data Bridge Market Research.
Increased awareness of the health benefits for dogs on a vegan diet are helping drive the trend: the likes of musician Katy Perry and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton are among those who have publicly spoken about feeding their canine companions a plant-based diet.
“3 months ago, I decided to transition [Roscoe] to a vegan diet. It has changed his life”, Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “He now doesn’t have any breathing issues, his throat is no longer restricted, and he doesn’t overheat like he did before and he loves to run. He also has no allergy issues. He’s like a puppy again!”.
The environmental impact of meat, along with animal welfare concerns are also behind the trend in vegan dog food. A staggering 30 percent of the meat consumed in the United States is eaten by our pets. So by treating our dogs to more vegan food, we could help accelerate the global shift away from supporting animals being farmed for food.
And the availability of branded plant-based dog food has made it easier for consumers to sample the potential benefits. Companies like Wild Earth are making sustainable, meat-free alternatives to dog food, and are having huge success: Wild Earth’s founder Ryan Bethencourt pitched his company on Shark Tank - not only did the Sharks taste his dog treats, but Mark Cuban invested in them too.
Vegan dog food: Is it healthy?
“A growing body of evidence appears to indicate that dogs and cats can survive, and indeed thrive, on nutritionally-sound vegetarian and vegan diets,” according to the authors of a review in the journal Animals of four studies that examined the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets for dogs.
The key is to plan your dog's diet well, to make sure that their nutritional needs are always being met. A good way to do this is to consult your vet. With the right care, many - but not all - dogs can thrive on plant-based food.
Interestingly, the famous border-collie “Bramble” - who lived for 25 years and held the Guinness World Record for “the world’s oldest bitch” - lived on a vegan diet full of brown rice, lentils, vegetable protein and yeast extract.
Plant-based dog food is evidently here to stay - and that’s good news for animals and the planet. Find out more, by listening to Species Unite’s episode Ryan Bethencourt: This is the Future of Dog Food.
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