A study by an American professor showed that pet food production contributes about 60 million tons of carbon dioxide into the environment. More households are adopting pets, which could mean even more damage to the environment. Eco-friendly pet foods are providing a viable alternative to reduce the environmental impact of feeding these furry friends.
Eco-friendly pet foods are not only beneficial for the environment but also healthy for your dog. Bellfor insect-based dog food, for example, ticks several benefits of what is right with eco-friendly pet food. Why should you switch to eco-friendly pet food?
Sustainable Animal Protein
Traditional pet food depends on by-products of the meat industry. The ordinary pet fare includes offal and organ meats like brains, tripe, and collagen. Besides the greenhouse gases emitted when rearing livestock for beef, another carbon footprint comes from processing these by-products.
Eco-friendly pet food seeks alternative sources of protein. Innovative pet food makers have identified insects as one of the best sources of protein. Some of the insect species that make rich protein sources include black soldier fly and worms.
Insects make the perfect protein source. You can produce tons of insects in a small space. The insects do not need an elaborate food chain like livestock. Production of food for the insects takes a tiny fraction of the energy required to produce an equivalent amount of beef.
Unlike cows or horses, insects do not fall ill. They do not need tons of antibiotic drugs, which is another production chain that extracts many resources from the environment. The production costs of insect protein are very low, which translates to low retail costs. You get a more sustainable product for the right price.
Healthy Non-allergic Food
Conventional pet food is made to be as cheap as possible. Protein comes from low-quality meat by-products. Some pet food makers use grain filler to cut costs further, which is of low or no nutritional value. These pet foods also contain many additives and preservatives, triggers of different digestive problems. These artificial products are also linked to different allergies in pets, including hives, inflammation, and coughing.
These rejects and low-quality meat by-products contain high levels of purine. This compound found in meat products is linked to several ailments among pets and people. It raises uric acid levels in the body, leading to complications in a pet’s endocrine system. Severe levels cause kidney stones in pet species like Dalmatians, Terriers, and Dachshunds.
Organ meats are high in cholesterol and fats. They also contain high starch grain filler. These ingredients have been linked to increasing obesity in pets. With obesity comes other complications like pet diabetes.
Alternative protein sources like insects eliminate these health problems. Eco-friendly pet foods include healthy protein ingredients like black soldier fly and salmon oil. They also contain vegetables like potatoes and peas. A mix of minerals, herbs, and spices make these pet foods balanced for all your pet’s nutritional foods. These ingredients are hypoallergenic and will be easy to digest, even for old dogs.
Can It Work?
Eco-friendly pet food is an increasingly attractive choice for many pet owners. The health benefits are proven, and the environmental benefits are provable as well. Some pet owners have been apprehensive of eco-friendly pet foods in the past, thinking that they are expensive. But these healthy foods are on the same cost level as conventional pet foods.
If you are concerned about your dog’s nutritional health, you will find eco-friendly pet food a good alternative. Your pet will be healthier and happier, and you will have done your bit for the environment. It is time to switch to something positive for the world.