Pet Food and Ingredient Sourcing Welfare

The welfare impacts of pet food production extend to the billions of animals that supply ingredients, a rarely considered dimension of companion animal ownership.

Key Facts

Global pet food production uses approximately 20% of the total global fish catch as ingredients
Small pelagic fish used in pet food include anchovies, herring, and menhaden — ecologically critical species
Poultry by-products in pet food include slaughterhouse materials from conventional production systems
Some premium brands source ingredients from higher-welfare farms, but labeling standards are inconsistent
Plant-based and insect-based pet foods are being developed as lower-impact alternatives for omnivorous pets

Welfare Considerations

The welfare footprint of pet food is largely invisible to consumers. Each can or bag represents animals from multiple production systems, most of which have welfare problems. Choosing pet foods with transparent sourcing, higher-welfare certifications, or alternative ingredients reduces the animal welfare cost of companion animal ownership.

What You Can Do

Research pet food brands that certify higher-welfare ingredient sourcing
Consider insect-based or plant-based options for omnivorous pets like dogs where nutritionally appropriate
Advocate for pet food labeling standards that require welfare certification for ingredient sources