Sustainability and Pet Food Is There a Role for Veterinarians?

? Sustainability is defined here as the conscientious management of resources and waste necessary to meet the physiologic requirements of companion animals without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their environmental, social, or economic needs. ? Life-cycle analysis of pet foods has identified that the most significant impact category to theenvironment is climate change (quantified as kg CO2 eq), with wet foods tending to have a greater impact than dry foods, and dogs having a greater impact than cats. ? Opportunities for improvement in sustainability exist at all phases of the pet food life cycle, including formulation, ingredient selection, manufacturing processes, packaging materials, transportation methods, reduction of food and packaging wastes, and proper disposalof pet waste. ? Veterinarians have a central role as a resource for clients on diet selection, feeding management,and proper pet waste disposal practices, as well as the sustainable farming of livestock animals. ? The advancement of sustainable practices in companion animal care will require a collaborative effort between pet food industry stakeholders, veterinarians, and pet owners.