Eating a vegetarian or vegan diet has become increasingly commonplace in today’s world. These diets are beginning to infiltrate the pet food industry, and many pet owners are turning to plant based diets for their furry companions. A 2019 study performed by the Ontario Veterinary College and School of Veterinary Science from Massey University found that 1.6% of pet owners fed vegetarian diets to their dogs, with every owner who did so practicing vegetarianism or veganism themselves.¹ With the most recent Gallup poll indicating that 6% of Americans are practicing vegetarians, the market for plant based diets is likely to grow.² Despite the potential for growth, there are many concerns over these diets, and many pet parents are hesitant to make the switch.
With all that being said, is it worth it for your brand to invest in this market? Should pet owners be considering the switch at all, or is there some danger to our furry friends? Let’s break down the pros and cons of the diet and the future of plant based diets in the industry.
The most common concern from the aforementioned study was on the nutritional adequacy of plant based diets. Nearly 75% of respondents who asserted a willingness to switch to plant based food for their pets cited concerns over proper nutrition being the primary reason they had not switched yet. While this concern is certainly valid, there is a growing body of research indicating that plant based diets are a viable option for pet food owners.
Many veterinary nutritionists agree that when it comes right down to it, as omnivores, most dogs can do well on a carefully formulated complete and balanced vegan diet. In fact, it has been shown that there are some health conditions that can benefit from a meat-free diet as part of management. But how do pet owners know which diets they can trust? A 2015 study that assessed commercial vegetarian diets for dogs and cats for protein and amino acid concentrations and accuracy of labeling concluded that, “Most diets assessed in this study were not compliant with AAFCO labeling regulations, and there were concerns regarding adequacy of amino acid content.” While progress has been made in recent years on the nutritional front, another more recent study looking at protein sources in diets found that 50% of all the vegan and vegetarian diets tested contained mammalian DNA. Improper formulation of vegan diets has the potential to cause numerous health issues. With so many factors in question, veterinarians have tended to steer clear of OTC vegetarian diets and instead referred pet owners to manufacturers that ensure nutritional adequacy and regulatory compliance.
Most recently, a study performed by the Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of California Berkeley’s School of Public Health found that over a 0, 6, and 12 month period of an all plant based diet, dogs were able to maintain their health.³ While this is promising for the future growth of this style of product, the study only examined 15 dogs and was published after only a year of testing. More research is needed on these products, but the future seems bright for the future of plant based dog food.
Cats, on the other hand, have some unique nutrient requirements that are unlikely to be effectively met by meatless diets. As obligate carnivores, they have a need for preformed taurine, vitamin A, arachidonic acid, and greater protein and arginine content. Vegan diets for cats are risky and not currently recommended.
Nutritional shortcomings are increasingly becoming less intimidating for these formulas, as synthetic micro and macro nutrients are able to replace those that are naturally only found in meat diets. An equally important question emerges after the question of nutrition is resolved. That question is: do dogs and cats even want to eat plant based foods? According to a 2021 study performed by the University of Winchester, yes.⁴ They found no considerable differences in palatability between traditional meat, in vitro meat, and alternative dog and cat food diets. Their conclusion was that non-traditional diets appear to cause no issues in dogs and cats, assuming that their nutritional needs are still being met.
While there are many reasons cited for why pet owners made the switch to plant based diets, the reality is that most pet owners feed traditional diets. However, as time continues moving forward and more research is done and products become safer and more well documented, the number of pet parents feeding plant based diets is nearly certain to grow. Don’t get left behind in this new market, and reach out to us if you are interested in learning more about these plant based diets. Check out our services, or fill out a contact form to see how we can help you!
Works Cited:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6333351/
2. https://news.gallup.com/poll/267074/percentage-americans-vegetarian.aspx
3. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.18.525405v1
4. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0253292