From carrying a reusable water bottle to choosing clean energy, many of us try to do our bit to cut our carbon footprint.

Now, scientists say that even our dogs should be pitching in to curb climate change.

Experts from the University of Nottingham claim that pet owners should consider putting their dogs on vegan diets – because they’re better for the environment. 

In their study, the team analysed the environmental impact of 31 popular dry dog foods sold in UK supermarkets. 

Their results revealed that plant–based foods have the lowest environmental impact, while beef and lamb–based foods are the worst offenders. 

However, not everyone agrees that it’s safe to put pooches on vegan diets. 

‘While domestic dogs and cats are now different in their behaviour and physiology from their wild ancestors, they have specific nutritional needs that must be met to avoid dietary deficiencies and associated diseases,’ explained Justine Shotton, past president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA). 

‘Dogs are omnivores, which means that they eat both meat and plant products. While it is theoretically possible, it is much easier to get the balance of essential nutrients wrong than to get it right.’

Experts from the University of Nottingham claim that pet owners should consider putting their dogs on vegan diets – because they’re better for the environment (stock image)

In their study, the team analysed the environmental impact of 31 popular dry dog foods sold in UK supermarkets. Their results revealed that plant–based foods have the lowest environmental impact, while beef and lamb–based foods are the worst offenders

In their study, the team set out to assess the environmental impact of popular pet foods sold in the UK. 

The researchers selected 31 commercially available dry dog foods and categorised them as plant–based, poultry–based, veterinary–renal, or red–meat based. 

They then analysed the foods across a range of environmental measures – including the land needed to produce them, greenhouse gas emissions, the polluting effects of production on soil and water reservoirs, and freshwater withdrawal.

The results revealed that the plant–based foods had the lowest impact, while poultry–based foods were intermediate. 

Beef and lamb–based foods, meanwhile, had substantially higher impact compared to other foods. 

For example, the researchers found that, over nine years of adult life, a 44lbs (20kg) dog fed a beef–based diet would need 57 football fields worth of land to grow their food. 

For comparison, a dog of the same size fed a plant–based diet would require just 1.4 fields worth of land to grow their food. 

‘Our findings show that there is a much greater environmental impact when producing meat–based pet food,’ said Rebecca Brociek, lead author of the study. 

Beef and lamb–based foods had substantially higher impact compared to other foods (stock image)

However, vets say the jury is still out on vegan dog diets. 

Writing in a blog for the BVA, Ms Shotton explained: ‘The bottom line is that the jury is still very much out as to whether we should be feeding our pets a vegan diet. 

‘What we know is that your pet needs a balanced diet that is tailored for their age, health, weight and lifestyle. 

‘My advice is to always talk to your vet before changing any aspect of your pet’s diet – problems can result from all sorts of non–traditional diets, including vegan diets but also raw meat diets, feeding bones, and home–made diets.

‘Current advice may change as new research takes place – the veterinary profession will continue to review all new evidence so that our advice is based on robust science.’