The pet industry is a rapidly growing sector, driven by growing dog and cat populations worldwide, which have now reached over one billion animals. Growth is projected to continue, as low- and middle-income countries develop and attribute more of their expendable income towards pet ownership. In this context, the sustainability of caring for dogs and cats—the two dominant companion animals globally—is of significant and growing importance.

The most important factor affecting our pets’ environmental “paw prints” is their diet, and specifically, their protein choice. The pet food industry is currently highly reliant on meat-based ingredients, which have been widely documented to have higher environmental impacts compared to emerging sustainable protein choices. Globally, dogs and cats consume 9% of all livestock animals; in the US, this rises to 20%. In some instances, a conventional meat-based canine diet can rival or exceed the environmental impacts of an individual human’s diet. For most brands, this makes protein sourcing the single most powerful lever they can pull to reduce environmental impacts.

As a result, a range of sustainable pet food proteins have been developed. These include diets formulated with plant-based proteins, as well as those that use food tech innovation, such as cultivated meat or precision fermentation. These ingredients, which are already being used by various companies within the rapidly growing sustainable pet food sector, seek to reduce the environmental “paw print” associated with pet diets, while maintaining or improving health outcomes.

But how do the impacts of these sustainable proteins compare to traditional meat-based proteins? How do animal byproducts fit into the picture? What consumer, industry, and regulatory hurdles do sustainable pet diets face? And what is the market opportunity for these new, sustainable ingredients?

Billy Nicholles is a researcher specialising in the environmental impacts of pet food. He has published on the environmental sustainability of meat-based versus alternative pet foods, and on consumer attitudes towards sustainable pet diets. He was formerly a Founders’ Associate at Omni, one of the UK’s leading sustainable pet food companies. In this talk, he breaks down where the sustainability sticking points in pet care lie, summarises recent innovations in sustainable pet food formulation, and reveals opportunities for the pet food sector to reduce their footprint while meeting evolving consumer expectations.

Global Pet Expo 2026

Tackling Pet Food’s Climate Pawprint: The Role of Sustainable Proteins

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