By now you would have seen the ongoing exploration of whether we should be adding insects into our diet. They’re nutritious, healthy, contain more protein than beef, and are a much better environmentally-friendly option for our planet in comparison to our current meat options. But should we be extending insects as a food choice to our pets?
In recent years, since the rise of veganism, conversations have emerged surrounding vegans feeding their dogs a plant-based diet too. I guess it’s understandable that if vegan pet owners don’t want to consume animal products, then they don’t want their pet that they are responsible for to consume meat products either, but is this decision healthy for our meat-loving animals?
When we hear statistics such as our current food production being responsible for 60% of global biodiversity loss, and growing livestock feed being the biggest cause of deforestation on our planet, it’s not surprising that people are exploring different ways to help the planet through their food choices.
Many of us who do choose to eat meat, want to ensure that we are consuming the best meat possible in terms of local, organic, free-range, and ethical, but these factors unfortunately aren’t an option when looking for pet food, with most dog food made from the by-product of intensively-farmed animals that we would ordinarily avoid for ourselves.
So perhaps insect-based pet food could be the answer to reducing the 23 billion tonnes of meat consumed every year by 500 million pet cats and dogs, whilst still getting the nutrition that they need.
Insects as a food source produce around 25 times less greenhouse gas emissions than beef, and Yora’s dog food made from insects is easier to digest than chicken and beef! Their insects are fed on fruit and vegetables, with no other animals being involved in the process of creating this food.
I asked 70 of you what you take into consideration when choosing food for your dog, with health benefits for your pet coming out on top. Yora’s insect-based dog food contains vitamins, omega6, zinc, high protein, minerals, calcium and lauric acid, to name just a few, as well as it being a lot easier to digest for dogs with sensitivities or intolerances.
I took a bag of Yora Complete Puppy Food and Reward Hand-Baked Biscuit Treats over to my friend Steph’s house to see what her 10-week old black labrador thought of the insect food. These images need no further explanation, as little Bobby excitedly finished every last crumb.
With 2 billion people worldwide currently eating insects regularly, perhaps insect-based pet food is the solution we need for healthier pets and a healthier planet.
Let me know what you think in the comments – would you feed insect-based food to your pets?
According to Jess 