In the US, dog and cat food meat is responsible for greenhouse gases equivalent to 13.6 million cars. If America’s dogs and cats formed their own country, they’d rank fifth in global meat consumption. And quantity isn’t the only issue.
Dogs are increasingly served up lavish ‘human-grade meat’ and organic produce, with commercial dog food brands dreaming up flavours like Smoked Bacon and Egg Soufflé Breakfast, Grain-Free Roasted Bison and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Our desire to humanise dogs has led us to feed them ingredients straight out of the human supply chain – adding extra pressures to a global food system that is already struggling to cope with demand.
Animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it is widely accepted that urgent efforts are needed to cut down meat consumption, yet the mere suggestion of a plant-based doggie diet triggers serious rage:
“uh the only reason that humans can be vegan is because we're omnivores. we can get nutrition from plants because we're built for that. DOGS AND OTHER CARNIVORES HOWEVER CANT!!!!! they're not built for it, stop depriving your animals of the necessary nutrients !!!!!!!!!!! please”
A human on Twitter, March 2018
Yes, dogs may belong to the order Carnivora, but they’re actually opportunistic omnivores – meaning they’ll eat anything they can get their paws on. And, with 1/6th the number of taste buds as humans, they’re not fussy eaters either.
For canines, the switch to veganism requires a steady transition, a little care and a balanced diet of protein-rich beans, soy, vegetables and grains. Yes grains. Fun fact: there are virtually no health benefits to faddish grain-free dog diets.
More than survive, dogs can thrive on a plant-based diet. The internet is filled with testimonials of trailblazing vegan pooches. Most prominent among them was Bramble, the vegan border collie who lived to the ripe old age of 25.
“DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
DOGS CANNOT BE VEGAN
PUTTING YOUR DOG ON A VEGAN DIET IS ANIMAL ABUSE”
A human on Twitter, May 2018
Not convinced? Holding onto the idea that putting your dog on a vegan diet is somehow unnatural, oppressive or cruel?
*Let’s try a thought experiment*
Put aside the hypocrisy of invoking animal abuse to advocate the killing of animals, and try to factor humans out of the equation entirely.
If our cockapoos had to survive in the wild, would they be capable of taking down a deer for dinner? Would our Yorkshire terriers get all Yorkshire Ripper on us? Would the diminutive dachshund be more savage than sausage?