Yes, dogs can be vegan and here's why your pooch should give up meat this January.
While many of us may be entering the new year with a desire to eat less meat or try out Veganuary to help offset our carbon footprints, there may be someone in your household that you’re overlooking. Here are the top reasons why your dog should go plant-based for Veganuary!
Vegan Dog Food Helps the Environment
We know by now how much of an impact the standard American diet has on the environment, but what about the diets of our pets?
It turns out that traditional dog food is equally as environmentally destructive as a traditional American diet because of its heavy reliance on factory-farmed protein. In fact, a single cup of traditional dog food requires 80 square feet of farmland and 47 gallons of freshwater and emits three pounds of greenhouse gases.
If you’re trying to be conscious of your carbon footprint, this can come as a bit of a shock! Petaluma—a vegan dog food brand—is tackling this issue head-on. Petaluma uses organic ingredients in its dog food, and the produce is bought from small farms to promote biodiversity. Additionally, ingredients like sweet potato and peanut butter are used in place of corn and soy, which are traditionally found in most dog foods and take more from the soil than they give back.
But Aren’t Dogs Carnivores?
A lot of people might ask, “But aren’t dogs carnivores?” While they may have started that way, dogs have evolved over the years to become omnivorous, just like we are. What they require in their diets is a balanced concoction of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals—all of which can be achieved with a carefully formulated plant-based diet.
Because traditional dog food is made with meat meal (a concoction of different meats melted down and dried into powder) and then pressure-cooked at high temperatures, many of the nutrients in traditional kibble are unavailable by the time the food makes it to your pet’s bowl. Many of the flavors are also lost in this process, which is why many leading brands add that flavored, chalky dust to the kibble to make it taste better.
Petaluma’s dog food was designed (and approved!) by veterinarians and is baked rather than pressure-cooked to preserve the nutrients and flavor. Made with ingredients such as organic chickpeas, organic sunflower oil, vitamin D2, and turmeric, Petaluma’s dog food has all of the necessary nutrients your pet needs.
But Does It Taste Good?
While it’s all well and good to want to help your pet eat a more ethical and eco-conscious diet, not much is going to change if they don’t like the way vegan dog food brands taste.
Petaluma is confident your pup will love its savory baked bites—they even offer a free sample on their website to give it a try with your pup at home before you buy. Even better, Petaluma conducts its taste tests on actual pets, not laboratory dogs that are trapped in cages.
So if you’re looking for a way to help your whole household be more sustainable this year, grab a bag of Petaluma vegan dog food for your dog to try out in the new year. Use promo code VEGOUT at FeedPetaluma.com for 30% off now through January 31, 2022 (new customers only)!
