{"id":13340,"date":"2026-01-12T13:12:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ultimabozza.it\/when-pet-food-pollutes-more-than-the-human-diet\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T13:24:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:24:48","slug":"when-pet-food-pollutes-more-than-the-human-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ultimabozza.it\/en\/when-pet-food-pollutes-more-than-the-human-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"When pet food pollutes more than the human diet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Could the dog’s bowl have a greater greenhouse effect than the plate of the person who feeds the dog? This is suggested by a large study<\/a> on the environmental impact of dog food<\/strong> conducted by researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Exeter and published in the scientific journal Journal of Cleaner Production.<\/em> Analyzing nearly 1,000 commercial dog products<\/strong> in the United Kingdom – including dry, wet and raw foods – the study measured the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of the ingredients. The result overturns a widely held belief: diets considered most “premium<\/strong>,” especially those rich in premium meats, are often also the most climate-changing<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

This scenario has been arrived at through a long evolution of the pet food market<\/strong> that has followed a clear trajectory: more meat, more perceived quality, more price. Wet foods, raw diets, “grain-free” recipes, meats declared as premium. All designed to bring the dog’s bowl closer to the plate of the human being with whom it shares a home. Too bad this humanization of animal nutrition comes at a significant environmental cost. <\/p>\n\n

The study shows that the most meat-rich feeds-especially when they use cuts that could end up directly in human consumption-are those with the highest climate footprints. In some cases, the difference between one product and another is abysmal, with up to 65 times higher emissions <\/strong>between the worst and best options. <\/p>\n\n

What makes the difference is not just the main ingredient, but the approach with which the product is packaged. Traditional dry kibbles, especially those that include grains and animal by-products, are on average much less impactful than wet or raw foods because there is less “noble” meat behind them, more efficient supply chains, and less energy for storage and transport<\/strong>. In contrast, grain-free, high-protein diets-often sold as a more natural choice-end up multiplying emissions. <\/p>\n\n

Moreover, the sector’s weight is by no means negligible. Researchers estimate that the production of ingredients used in dog food in the United Kingdom alone comes to account for about 1 percent of national greenhouse gas emissions.<\/strong> Transposed to a global scale, with similar food patterns, the impact could approach more than half of the annual emissions generated by commercial aviation fuel<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

Finally, there is another observation in the study to consider: reducing the climate footprint does not mean starving or malnourishing dogs. Quite the contrary. By using parts of the slaughter cycle that are less in demand by the human market – but perfectly valid nutritionally – emissions are drastically lowered<\/strong>, avoiding waste and direct competition with human food. <\/p>\n\n

The researchers point the finger not at the owners, but at an unclear system. Labels often tell a lot about marketing and little about actual environmental impact<\/strong>. Hence the call for more readable and comparable information to enable informed choices in a booming market. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Could the dog’s bowl have a greater greenhouse effect than the plate of the person who feeds the dog? This is suggested by a large study on the environmental impact of dog food conducted by researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Exeter and published in the scientific journal Journal of Cleaner Production. 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