Supporting a plant-based diet for our pets, as research and studies show numerous health benefits. Here’s everything you will need to know about upgrading their nutrition - whether flexi, or full-time.
● A third of pet owners have already considered feeding their furry friends a vegan diet.
● Studies have discovered that vegan dogs visit the vet less often and require fewer medications.
● A Vegan Collie called Bramble lived until she was 25, one of the longest-living dogs of all time, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
● Lewis Hamilton says that switching his British Bulldog Roscoe to a vegan diet drastically improved his health.
● A study of Siberian sprint racing huskies showed those fed a plant-based diet performed just as well and were just as healthy as those fed meat, they loved it, too!
Conscious living is on the rise and we’re taking steps to be more sustainable; we’re prioritising more ethical brands, buying reusable items, eating less meat, using less plastics, and even becoming more conscious about what foods we eat.
We’re optimising our diets for better skin, better hair, better gut health, and for overall longevity; even researching the provenance of our ingredients, but what about our furry friends?
Whether flexi or full-time, recent scientific studies show dogs can not only survive, but even thrive on a vegan diet, challenging conventional beliefs about canine nutrition. Research also indicates dogs on a pet-based diet visit the vet less often, and require fewer medications.
So, why do we think this is?
Herbie Wilde founder Ella Daines-Smith originally embarked found it necessary to begin the natural food journey for her beloved French bulldog, Bertie, as she was suffering from debilitating stomach issues and painful, itchy skin due to food intolerances.
So Ella began looking into key allergens for dogs, and the ingredients used by established brands, but was shocked at what she discovered.
Pet food standards are much lower than human food, meaning the scraps humans can’t use can be used in both kibble and wet foods, including hair, feathers, bones, beaks, digestive systems, and the remains of deceased animals.
With EU labelling laws being so lax, these connective tissues and off-cuts can simply be labelled as “meat derivatives,” with brands free to bulk up their so-called “natural” pet food with this indigestible filler to cut costs. These derivatives usually have no traceable provenance or are sourced from big factory farms with no understanding of, or care for, ethical standards.
Ella said: “Beaks, feathers, wool, hooves, and connective tissue may be considered protein, but they are totally indigestible for dogs and cats, and are extremely low in essential amino acids. The more indigestible a protein, the more stress it places on an animal's internal organs, such as their kidneys. It can also lead to intolerances, too.”
What are the benefits of a plant-based diet?
Emma Passman, Head of Nutritional Science at Herbie Wilde said: “There's always going to be scepticism about whether a plant-based diet is right for dogs. But I think the main point to consider is not whether a meal contains meat or not, but whether it’s tasty, and contains all of the right vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. And whether these are quality sources, not just meat derivatives that can cause allergies and all manner of digestive issues for our pets.”
Experts from all over the world have identified that dogs, having evolved considerably from their wolf ancestors, possess digestive tracts that are adapted to successfully digest plant-based ingredients. A plant-based diet, whether full-time or flexi, has recently been studied and proven to offer numerous health benefits.
There have also been several large-scale studies that have shown outcomes as “good” or “better for both cats and dogs", as scientists view modern dogs as omnivores, rather than carnivores. This has resulted in a rapid growth of the plant-based dog food market, which was valued at USD 14 billion, and was expected to reach USD 26 billion by 2033.
Not only this, but there's also an environmental impact, too. Dogs and cats consume around 9% of all land animals killed for food, or around 7 billion animals annually, as well as billions of fish and aquatic animals.
Dr. Andrew Knight calculated if all the dogs in the world went vegan, it would save more greenhouse gases than those emitted by the entire UK; it would also save land the size of Mexico, freshwater exceeding the amount of renewable water in the whole of Denmark and would feed around 450 million people, more than the entire EU. If all the world’s people went vegan, it would feed around 5.3 billion additional people, two thirds of the Earth’s current population.
The conversation around a plant-based diet for humans, and its numerous benefits, has also been discussed at length, as seen in the Netflix documentary, Game Changer, and as discussed by David Attenborough on the latest Planet Earth offering.
So, what is Herbie Wilde, and why should you choose it for your dogs?
Backed by leading vets, canine nutritionists, and scientific research, Herbie Wilde has cooked up (literally) an ethically sourced, plant-based superfood for dogs, that goes way beyond FEDIAF standards. It was also included in the Good Shopping Guides Top 200 most ethical companies, with a very impressive score of 98/100.
The Herbie Wilde kibble is jam-packed with 39 natural ingredients, including sweet potato, fruits, greens, herbs, ancient grains, and botanicals. It ensures dogs receive all the essential proteins, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need to thrive, regardless of dietary preferences. It's actually certified as “nutritionally complete,” and unlike other brands, is traceable from farm to bowl.
In contrast to conventional dog foods, and other plant-based brands, Herbie Wilde has also removed all key allergens, including modern grains and soya, thus making them naturally hypoallergenic – it’s the only brand to have done this. As a result, the brands products are an ideal choice for dogs with allergies and food intolerances, including conditions like IBS.
A lot of brands use soya as a filler, but it’s one of the most destructive methods of farming, linked to the catastrophic deforestation of the Amazon and beyond. In removing soya from its foods, Herbie Wilde is not only taking a stand against using fillers in favour of quality ingredients, it’s also reducing its impact on the environment.
The brand's commitment to quality is further emphasised through routine batch testing in its manufacturing laboratory, and independent verification at the University of Bologna.
Championing a Greener Future: Herbie Wilde's Sustainability Pledge.
Beyond addressing the nutritional needs of pets, Herbie Wilde is committed to minimising its environmental impact, championing sustainability with grouped shipments, recyclable packaging, biodegradable tape, and energy-efficient practices, including the use of solar panels and a ground source heat pump at its HQ. There’s even a wildflower garden and beehives. Most importantly though, is the provenance, traceability, and quality of the brands' ingredients.
Ella said: “I really wanted to know where our ingredients were coming from, but I was told this isn’t normal or possible. It quickly became clear to me that the manufacturers were bulk-buying cheap ingredients, with no understanding of what’s really in them, where they had come from or where they were grown.”
She continued: “I spent over two years working with our lead nutritionist on finding local farmers that we could actually visit; we walked the land, saw the produce growing, talked to them about their processes, and formed strong relationships with growers.”
She added: “We visited our wonderful quinoa farmer in Suffolk, our amazing chia farm in Essex, our seaweed farm in Scotland, and our Alfalfa farm in Lincolnshire. That said, there are certain things we can’t grow so well in the UK, so we have had tp source some produce from further afield, such as pumpkin and sweet potato from our farmer in Honduras, who we’ve also visited. He provides a lot of work opportunities for his local community.”
Farm dogs helping with the sweet potato farming in Honduras.
Herbie Wilde doesn’t just want to provide pet owners with a healthy, nutritious option for their dogs, but also a more sustainable and ethical choice, with ingredients that are traceable from farm to bowl.
Herbie Wilde kibble is available from £22.49:
https://herbiewilde.co.uk/product/sweet-potato-ancient-grains-dry-food/
Incidentally several years ago the husband and wife team behind That's Food and Drink knew of a dog who was put on a special meat free diet by a vet. It's good to know that meat free dog food that's 100% ethically produced is now available for caring pet owners.
