Ruby Sandhu, LL.M, MSc., MSoM (senior lawyer and ethical vegan)
Introduction
As plant-based or ethical vegans and professionals, it is important that we do not shy away from difficult conversations, that we approach our work as compassionate agents of change, and ground the information we share on facts, science, evidence, as well as personal experience. These principles are important in the context of considering plant-based diets for our companion animals and this article has been written with three purposes in mind. The first is to provide information about the legal obligations of guardians of companion animals. The second is to debunk some common misconceptions that we have with regards to dogs and their diet and the third is to share important insights to support vegans when discussing plant-based nutrition for their companion animals.
Our use of language
The first issue to address is the use of terminology which best describes our relationship with non-human animals that we often refer to as “pets”. Our language plays an important role in shaping change for improving, protecting, and developing rights for non-human animals. With this in mind, first, the term “guardian/s” is used throughout this article instead of “owner”, the latter refers to non-human animals as nothing more than “property”, and, in law, as chattels. Second, the term “companion animals” is used instead of “pet” to describe the relationship more respectfully with the non-human animals in our care.
Why might vegans decide to feed companion animals a plant-based diet?
There are many reasons why ethical vegans might decide to feed their companion animals a plant-based diet. I am one of them. Fifteen years ago, I experienced cognitive dissonance. I wondered how I could love my springer spaniel puppy, affectionately named Bono (masculine for Bonnie), and yet feed him with the flesh of other more sentient beings (cows, sheep, lambs, chicken, fish etc.).
During my postgraduate international environmental studies, back in the early 1990s, I read paper after paper of scientific research on animal sentience. Matriarchy in a herd of elephants, the intelligence of whales who inhabit vast swathes of ocean, the complex personalities of cows, the sentience of fish, lobsters etc., etc. And, in 2010, during my further postgraduate studies in sustainability, it became clear to me that the normative practice of eating meat was having a detrimental impact on our planet: a reality that, at that time, many people were unwilling to acknowledge. My reflections were combined with my discipline and practice as a yogi, and I was reminded of “ahimsa” – living with non-violence to all beings.
In my law practice, I had advocated the need to move away from silo prescriptive thinking, and here I was, acknowledging that I was not practicing what I preached. I realised that I was, instead, hiding behind what I will describe as societal tribal behaviour: the need to fit in and continue to eat animals.
The influence of majority behaviours, and other influences on us as individuals, is so often overlooked, but when we think about it, we can observe pervasive well-resourced and funded marketing machines, that can be interpreted as manipulative and formative to our conditioning. For example, images of “happy cows”, “organic farmed fish”, the promoted value of “free range”, manufacturers ideas about what we need to be “healthy”, false representations of what is considered “sustainable and ethical” etc. etc. Adopting veganism is liberating, and thinking more broadly about how we care for our companion animals from the vegan perspective, is related to the process of becoming aware: which I describe as becoming conscious. That is, the pursuit of a wise and fulfilled life, through questioning and logical argument, with Socrates alleged dictum “the unexamined life is not worth living”.
Plant-based food for companion animals
We are a nation of dog lovers, and we have formed a special relationship and bond for a period of well over 25,000 years. We should be aware that for dogs to evolve away from their cousins, the wolves, they went through the required physiological changes in order that they could survive and thrive with us: that is by sharing our scraps of food, utilising the sources of carbohydrate and thereby developing digestive enzymes and microbiome for digestion and absorption of our omnivore human diet. This means that the dog is well adapted as an omnivore to transition to a plant-based diet. With this in mind, we can observe and address a few misconceptions:
The first misconception is that dogs are strictly carnivores like lions and tigers, and therefore cannot survive or thrive on a plant-based diet.
Although today, many of us recognise that dogs are omnivores, collectively, we fail to understand that a dog’s physiology allows them to survive, and thrive, on a non-meat diet. Implemented carefully, with professional advice and under the guidance of a veterinary nutritionist, plant-based diets can provide a companion animal with all the nutrients they need. To transition a non-human animal without proper advice and care is indeed cruel, which many sensationalist articles in the past have alluded to and I expand on the reasons why below.
The second misconception is that it is cruel to feed a dog a plant-based diet.
Here we need to qualify this misconception, it is indeed cruel to feed a dog a plant-based diet that is not complete and balanced and tasty, and we have seen examples of this reported in the media where misinformed guardians are simply cutting out all the meat, eggs, poultry, and fish from the diet of their dogs. This is extremely dangerous. It can have serious implications on the health of the dog and can lead in extreme circumstances to a dog’s death. A dog’s plant-based food must be supplemented to address the missing nutrients removed from animal sourced ingredients to ensure that the dog has a complete, balanced, nutritious and tasty diet.
3. The third misconception is that all vets are specialised in animal nutrition.
A vet who is a veterinary nutritionist, has specialised in nutrition in practice and usually through academic studies at postgraduate level. They are available to advise clients on the safe transition to plant-based diets and supplementing diets, both commercial and modified human diets, in order to make them complete for companion animals. Dr Malina Fielder, who has more than thirty years’ experience in the field of nutrition and spent decades advising an array of clients on transitioning animals safely states:
…Plant-based diets for dogs are considered optimal and healthy only when they are complete and balanced, based on the professionally calculated diet plans and made from fresh and good quality ingredients. She recommends plant-based food for dogs because of their well-known benefits, such as detoxification and improved liver and kidney health. Plant-based dog food, in general, has many positive attributes including improving the quality of the coat, decreasing external and internal parasites, and assists with thyroid problems.
Similarly, Professor Andrew Knight has been seminal regarding validating plant-based diets for companion animals. His well-respected research provides evidence that non-human animals can thrive on plant-based diets and has been a catalyst for discussions about the benefits of plant-based food for dogs and cats at veterinary institutions and with regulatory bodies.
The legal obligations that guardians have in respect of their companion animals.
Many of the obligations on guardians of companion animals are set out in key pieces of United Kingdom (UK) legislation and are customary knowledge for many animal guardians. Of importance is The Animal Welfare Act 2006, which requires an underlying duty of care to ensure proper responsibility and welfare of the companion animal including its environment, food, protection from suffering, injury, and disease. The importance of microchipping and ensuring that it includes all up-to-date details, as well as ensuring a collar with a tag with the guardian’s name and contact details are also required by law. Many of us when walking our companion animals have seen the “livestock notices” pursuant to the The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, which requires us to ensure that our companion animals are kept on leads, and that they do not “worry” or stress farmed animals by chasing or barking at them. And, “Finn’s Law” provides protection for service animals, such as police dogs and horses.
Legislation is also in place to permit local authorities to impose fines on guardians who fail to pick up their dog’s waste. This encourages broader responsibility for the non-human animals in our care.
With regard to providing a plant-based diet for your companion animal, there are specific regulatory requirements including under the aforementioned Animal Welfare Act 2006. Under this legislation if you irresponsibly convert your companion animals to a vegan diet, you would be in contravention of the Act and be subject to legal penalties. For this reason, it is paramount that you speak with your veterinarian and obtain advice from a practicing veterinary nutritionist who will explain how to ensure the diet is nutritionally complete and also how to monitor your dog’s health on a regular basis.
When I first discussed the possibility of a vegan diet for Bono with my vet, he remained open, albeit concerned, primarily because he did not have the time or expertise to advise or adequately respond. However, over time, as Bono adjusted and thrived on a plant-based diet, my vet became less concerned. Bono’s diet was added to his medical notes (“VEGAN DIET”) in bold, and I alleviated, educated, and responded to the many questions and concerns of many a kind vet nurse I met over the years during Bono’s general vet appointments.
Below is a list of some of the obvious and typical responses you can rightly expect from your well-meaning vet, when you first raise the possibility of transitioning your companion animal to a vegan/plant-based diet. Responses are provided with welfare responsibilities in mind.
Q: Where will your dog get protein from?
The assumption is that dogs must have meat or at least eggs to stay healthy. And that is because there are no essential amino acids in plants that can support a dog’s well-being. Dogs have no enzymes to digest plants and therefore can incur intestinal problems resulting in diarrhoea. You must reassure your vet that you have access to reliable advice and guidance from a veterinary nutritionist and offer to share the guidance.
Q: Your companion animal might develop urinary crystals.
Dogs can develop urinary crystals and stones because the urine of dogs eating a plant-based diet is slightly more alkaline. Crystals can therefore develop in the bladder. To avoid this, it is recommended that you discuss this with your vet and check the urine PH weekly.
Q: What about the necessary minerals and fatty acids?
Every home-made diet, as well as commercially made meat based or plant-based food, requires supplementing with necessary minerals (Calcium, Iron, Zinc), vitamins and microelements, as well as essential fatty acids. Supplements are available for use with home-made diet plans to support animal companions to transition safely. Discuss and share the guidance and resources you obtain with your vet.
Q: How do you address the issue of phytates?
Plants contain phytates that bind with many minerals and cannot be utilised by the body. That is why professional advice is required to ensure that the phytates are easily deactivated by correctly preparing home-made meals. Again, it is important to be appropriately guided and share the resources and guidance you have been given with your vet.
Q: How will you transition your companion animals to a new diet?
It is recommended that you consult with a veterinary nutritionist about transitioning companion animals to a plant-based diet and obtain specific information from them that you can provide to your vet to address their concerns in respect of amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids. This is required to reassure them regarding the companion animal’s welfare and that the food provided is nutritious and tasty. You must be aware that you cannot simply change your dog’s diet. You must transition your dog slowly to a new diet and discuss progress with your vet.
Your dog needs to be able to develop microbiome and enzymes to be able to digest and absorb the new diet. Take all necessary steps to help your vet become well-informed and discuss starting with a daily 10% addition of the new diet to a previous diet. Explain that you intend to watch out for signs of diarrhoea and that you will slow down any further addition of the new diet if necessary.
A veterinary nutritionist is likely to recommend that you use digestive enzymes, and your vet needs to become more knowledgeable about this. Ensure that you record every change in your dog’s behaviour. Do they like the taste? Are they excited about the food? Is there a change in the number and consistency of the stools? Note any other changes and inform your nutritionist and your vet of them.
It is also important that you attend your vet’s practice to undertake blood tests. Your vet might recommend blood tests for your dog after 3 months on the new plant-based veterinary prescribed diet. They are also likely to want to reassure themselves about the body weight (gain or loss) and PH of urine and ensure that they are satisfied that your beloved companion animal is healthy and happy on their new plant-based diet.
With appropriate guidance it is possible to transition companion animals to plant-based diets. However, guardians must understand their legal obligations under welfare laws and reassure their vets that their companion animals are healthy, happy and thriving. Research and compelling evidence is available to discuss common misconceptions about plant-based diets, and insights such as those in this article hopefully offer support to vegans when discussing plant-based nutrition for their companion animals with their vets, family, friends and wider community.
“Guardian” is a preferable term and encouraged by the Vegan Society as instead of “owner”. “The Vegan Society strives to avoid language that promotes or reinforces speciesism in its communications. We use ‘companion animal’ instead of ‘pet’ and ‘carer’ or ‘guardian’ instead of ‘owner’, unless trying to draw attention to legal issues where terms like ‘owners’ and ‘property’ are necessary to reflect the current legal status of non-human animals.” See Vegan Animal Care Report 2022, https://www.vegansociety.com/sites/default/files/uploads/downloads/Vegan%20Animal%20Care%20Report%202022%20Final.pdf.
Ruby Sandhu is the co-founder of SHEVEGA.com and the word “pets” is used interchangeably with “pet guardians” on the website with the intention of phasing out the word “pets” in the future.
The word “vegan” is deliberately used here to differentiate it from “plant-based”. The latter term is in reference to a diet which is premised usually on health, planetary boundary, climatic considerations while veganism is a term that denotes primarily considerations that are based on ethical, moral, and compassionate reasons recognising animal sentience.
The easiest definition of cognitive dissonance is holding a contradictory set of beliefs.
Dr Malina Fielder is a senior practicing veterinary nutritionist and the co-founder of SHEVEGA.
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