Insects better for pets and environment than steak, says BVA

The British Vet Association (BVA) has announced that switching your dog to an insect-based diet could be better for them and also the environment.

The BVA said with a “surge” in people treating their pets more like family members, many dog owners are feeding their dogs the same food that they eat. However, not all human food is suitable for dogs and doesn’t provide the exact nutrients they need.

It is currently estimated that dogs consume 20% of all meat globally. According to the BVA, farming meat is “notoriously” bad for the environment and requires a lot of land, but said farming insects requires no fertiliser or pesticides and produces very low emissions.

Dutch firm, Protix, claims that they can grow one tonne of insects on 20 square metres of space in two weeks.

Dr Steph Wenban, Front of The Pack’s vet and pet wellbeing expert, said: “When considering a dog food, the protein quality is just as important as the quantity. A complete diet should be balanced in vitamins and minerals, digestible and contain all the essential amino acids your dog needs.

“Trying to offset carbon footprint and your dogs diet can pose a challenge to pet owners and alternatives such as home-cooking or raw feeding, if not done correctly, can lead to serious nutritional imbalances. Insect-based dog foods provide a promising alternative for eco-conscious pet parents in the future.”