LONDON — With rising consumer demand for plant-based and alternative protein pet foods, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) launched a new policy position on diet choices for cats and dogs on July 24, calling on the veterinary and pet food industries to support pet owners in choosing healthy, more sustainable diets for their pets. 

According to new research from the BVA, many pet parents are choosing non-traditional diets for their cats and dogs. Ninety-four percent of veterinarians reported their clients are feeding pets a raw diet, 42% have clients feeding meat-free diets, and 29% have clients feeding insect-protein. Despite this transition to more sustainable pet foods, BVA found that these pet owners do not routinely consult their veterinarians regarding these choices, as 6 out of 10 veterinarians were unsure which of their clients’ pets were being fed meat-free diets.

With this in mind, the BVA released its new policy position, encouraging veterinarians to communicate with pet owners about what diet they have selected to feed their pets. Additionally, the association is urging veterinarians to record any resulting issues to help the industry understand the long-term health effects of these alternative pet foods. 

“We know that owners of cats and dogs are increasingly drawn to pet diets that reflect their own personal values and lifestyle choices, and this is leading to a surge in alternative approaches to pet food,” said Anna Judson, president of the BVA. “We support owners making informed choices about what to feed their pets, but they must be aware that these choices play a pivotal role in the health of the animal and can also have a wider impact on human health and environmental sustainability.

“One of the key issues in these conversations is the lack of long-term, evidence-based research,” she added. “If vet teams are to maintain our position as the ‘trusted voice’ in these conversations, it’s vital that we ask the right questions and also record as much data as possible so that we can understand the long-term impact of some of these newer diets.”

For the pet food industry, BVA intends to lobby for better labeling and traceability of animal byproducts in cat and dog foods. Under the new policy position, the association recommends that pet food companies provide additional information on UK pet food labels to help improve consumers’ access to information. The association also recommends that processors collaborate with suppliers to ensure traceability and welfare standards for animal-based ingredients and communicate this with pet owners.  

The BVA stressed that its new position does not attempt to determine the “best” diet for each individual pet, rather it aims to support pet owners in their feeding choices and ensure pets’ nutritional needs are fully met. 

“Innovation should be embraced, but not at the expense of animal welfare through poor nutrition, so more research is needed to improve confidence in all diet types,” the policy statement reads. “…Balancing sustainability and nutritional needs for a pet’s diet is complex. Public awareness of sustainability issues and the potential impacts of their decisions must improve, and owners must make decisions based on science rather than trends to protect both the planet and the health and welfare of their animal.”

Read more on the BVA’s new policy position. 

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