Sunday, September 28, 2025
Vegan pet food as healthy for cats and dogs as meat, says veterinary professor.
Vegan diets are just as healthy for cats and dogs as meat-based pet food, according to research that will further fuel a row over whether owners should feed their pets plant-based meals.
Andrew Knight, a veterinary professor at the University of Winchester, said his research showed that cats and dogs had as good, or better, health outcomes on plant-based diets as they did when fed on meat pet foods, provided these were carefully formulated with additional synthetic nutrients.
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Knight’s findings came after warnings that pet owners could be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 if they fail to feed a “suitable diet” meeting their dog’s nutritional needs – a?20,000 fine or a 51-week jail sentence could ensue.
Although the act does not stipulate vegan or vegetarian meals as unsuitable, Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association, said: “We would not recommend feeding a dog a vegan diet as it is much easier to get the balance of nutrients wrong than to get it right, leading to a risk of dietary deficiencies and associated disease.”
She added that any changes to pet diets “should only be undertaken under advice of a vet with in-depth nutritional knowledge”, and that people had a “duty of care towards their pet”, including ensuring an appropriate diet.