In July we hosted Andrew Knight, Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, and Founding Director of the University of Winchester Centre for Animal Welfare. He discussed his published research on plant-based diets for dogs.

There are many factors to consider when deciding what to feed your dog:

• Nutritional completeness
• Ingredients to avoid potential food-related allergies
• Ingredient quality concerns
• Whether they “enjoy” the food
• Environmental sustainability
• Animal welfare concerns

And more…

Plant-based food options for humans are rapidly growing, and so are the options for our furry friends. Prof. Knight discussed how the results from these and other studies indicate that the healthiest and least hazardous pet foods are nutritionally sound vegan diets.

Wild Earth’s Complete Protein Dog Food meets the needs of the evolved dog; high-quality and great-tasting food that provides the complete and comprehensive nutrition they need — it just happens to be plant-based.

Prof. Knight answered several questions from the audience. Check out the clips below to explore each topic and hear the answer to each of the questions.

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:27 - Andrew Knight Presents
• 4:30- Environmental impacts of the food system
• 11:42 - Emerging Pet Food Alternatives
• 14:27- Plant-Based vs Meat-Based Diets for Animals: The Research
• 38:47- Vegan Pet Food Market Valuation
• 39:31- Transitioning Your Dog To a Vegan Diet
• 42:00 - Special Thanks to Authors and Supporters
• 43:23 - Where to Find Further Info
• 43:57 - Q&A
• 44:24 - What is the ideal feeding schedule for dogs? Is kibble ok to feed dogs?
• 45:48 - Was there a comparison of bloodwork in your study?
• 48:06 - My vet is very opposed to feeding my dogs a vegan diet. Why do you think that is?
• 50:38 - Tips for transitioning a reluctant dog to a vegan diet?
• 52:27- What are good vegan sources of protein to add to a fruit and veggie mix that is designed to be nutritionally complete when animal protein is added?
• 54:00 - Are vegan dogs at a higher risk for DCM, due to eating more peas than on other diets?
• 55:12- My 2.5 year old husky was diagnosed with IBS. The vet prescribed Science Diet Gastro. Any advice on what to do?
• 56:51 - I have always limited my dog's kibble and supplemented with veggies. Can I do the same on Wild Earth kibble?
• 57:74 - Where can I go for additional resources on vegan diets for dogs?
• 58:48 - Can you feed a puppy a vegan diet?
• 1:00 - Do you think companies that make only vegan foods are making better products than the companies that make mostly meat-based products, but also make vegan foods?
• 1:01:46 - Closer

About our speaker:

Andrew Knight is a Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, and Founding Director of the University of Winchester Centre for Animal Welfare, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University, Queensland. An experienced cat and dog veterinarian, he’s also a European, American, New Zealand and RCVS-recognised Veterinary Specialist in animal welfare and related fields. He has around 150 academic and 80 popular publications, and an extensive series of YouTube videos and several websites (including www.sustainablepetfood.info), on plant-based companion animal diets, climate change and the livestock sector, invasive animal research, educational animal use, humane clinical and surgical skills training, and other animal welfare issues. He regularly works with animal welfare charities to advocate for animals, and is frequently interviewed by the media. He has received over 20 awards and research grants for this work.