7 Sustainable Dog Food Brands For Bone-afide Good Chow

If cats and dogs established their own country, they would rank 5th in the world for meat consumption. Pet food releases ~64 million tons of CO₂ a year, or 30% of meat consumption’s total environmental impact.

If you choose one of these dog food brands, you (and your pooch) can take a bite out of the methane emissions associated with pet food.

For this article, we looked for brands who opt for lower impact ingredients, while maintaining a science backed diet for pooches. We also looked for green business practices, local, ethical sourcing and a community focus.

Note: Our brand rating system assesses brands based on multiple sustainability-related criteria, including things like product safety, chemical use and ethics in the supply chain. Brands need to opt in to be rated. Look out for rated brands below and find others in our directory.

As with most products, the most affordable, low waste and environmentally friendly dog food can be that which you make yourself.

Yes, this option takes time, but knowing exactly what’s going into Bruiser’s bowl can be well worth the added effort it takes to meal prep for your pup. Not only from a health perspective but also from a sustainability perspective.

Thankfully, it’s not about rolling and baking little bits of kibble. It’s mixing up a bowl of whole ingredients that will fill all your dog’s dietary needs. Ideally, you want equal parts protein, raw veggies, and root veggies (like sweet potato and pumpkin). You can even try sourcing these from local farmers who have meat and produce that maybe isn’t good enough to sell but would suit Fido just fine.

Have a look at Treading My Own Path’s dog food recipe for inspiration. This is just a brief idea of this process, but if it’s the path you choose to take, make sure you do your research and ideally chat with your vet about your pet’s nutritional needs.

And while you’re at it, discuss how much food your dog should be getting based on their activity level, because overfeeding is a quick way to waste food.

• Talk to your vet about your pet’s needs. This should always be step number one when changing your pet’s diet in any way.
• Know what foods are safe and unsafe for canine consumption.
• Research the nutritional needs of your dog’s specific breed and lifestyle
• Only commit to this if you have the time to follow through. Switching your dog’s food too often can be unhealthy, too.
• Check out our guide on freezing meat without plastic as it’s important to keep your doggy mince fresh, too!

Consider supporting one of these dog food brands who are doing better for the planet and sharing the love with fellow dog lovers.

It’s normally scarfed down so quickly we don’t get a chance to think about the environmental impact of our puppies’ dinner. But the fact is, pet food is an environmental disaster, accounting for around 25% of the negative impact of animal agriculture as a whole.

Not to mention that our precious pups are part of the family, and so they shouldn’t be forced to eat preservative soaked cow lips (and other scraps considered “feed grade”). To keep tails wagging and support the health of our planet, we considered the following:

Sustainable Dog Food Ingredients

You probably don’t want to eat butylated hydroxyanisole or propylene glycol or rendered fat, and neither does your dog. While some “human grade” foods are the real sustainable deal, not all are, so we were extra cautious of greenwashing for those that claimed this.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, “human grade” non vegan dog food can be one of the most wasteful because it relies on prime cuts of meat (which really aren’t that much better than the offcuts if the cows have been pumped with growth hormones and such).

We must look beyond the basic ingredients. Fortunately, some of the healthiest and tastiest ingredients out there also happen to be good for our planet.

We’re happy to report that many of these brands choose organic and natural vegetables and whole grains, and use sustainably produced meat (think: wild boar with a side of crickets) or plant-powered vegan alternatives. While vegan dog food wasn’t a requirement, it is certainly the most sustainable dog food option, so we were thrilled to see several companies offering it. Though worth noting that vegan cat food is not recommended, as cats being ‘obligate carnivores’ need meat to thrive.

Especially since they were also going out of the way to make sure their plant-powered pup food was still plentifully proteins.

Supply chain and labor practices:

Nothing makes our tails wag more than transparency, so we’re really happy to see that many of these brands work with local producers, or at least know where specific ingredients are produced.

Even better, some brands have elaborated on team dynamics or shared how they’re supporting workers with fair pay conditions.

Green business practices:

If you’re not hip to the world of pet food, then newsflash – sustainable food packaging is becoming more sustainable. Unfortunately, due to regulations involved with retailing foodstuffs, there are still improvements to make. Still, we were happy to see some brands using compostable, recyclable, or at least partially recycled packaging.

Community & charitable giving:

Three barks for brands that give back! While not a requirement to be an eco-friendly dog food brand, we’ll always roll over for companies that donate to charities or provide discounts to animal shelters.

What is the purpose of this article?
We’re highlighting a selection of our favorite dog food brands that prioritise both nutrition and environmental sustainability — aiming to show conscious pet-owners how they can reduce their dog’s ecological impact while feeding high-quality food.

What defines “sustainable dog food”?
Sustainable dog food is defined as food whose ingredients and sourcing reduce environmental harm (e.g., less meat, alternative proteins, lower greenhouse emissions), where the brand also practices ethical sourcing, transparency, and eco-aware packaging.

Why should pet-owners consider sustainable dog food?
Because pet food has a significant environmental footprint (e.g., dogs & cats consume amounts of meat comparable to a large population’s), so choosing sustainable options can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, land and water use, and contribute to more responsible food systems.

What should someone look for when choosing the best sustainable dog food brand?
Look for: responsibly-sourced ingredients (plant-based, insect protein, low-impact animal protein); brands with clear and ethical supply chains; certifications or transparent reporting; recyclable or minimal packaging; and brands that meet nutritional standards for dogs.

Can sustainable dog food still meet a dog’s nutritional needs?
Yes — the brands featured are formulated to meet dogs’ nutritional requirements while reducing impact, meaning you don’t have to sacrifice health for sustainability.

Every zero waste dog has its day, but hopefully with this list of sustainable pet food, that day is a long way off. Our pets are family, even when they poop on the carpet and eat our favorite pair of sunglasses.

Just as we want sustainable food brands for our hooman family members, so we should aim for the same for our fur babies.

Consider supporting one of these eco-friendly pet food brands (as well as those of your friends by sharing the love) for the health of your dogs and/or cats and our planet.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in January 2021 and updated in November 2025 to include new images, refreshed copy, and an expanded FAQ section.