Hunting for sustainable dog food brands can feel like mission impossible, but it doesn’t have to. You’re not the first pet lover to want better options. In this article, you can learn more about sustainable pet foods, what makes them sustainable, and how they can improve your pup’s health.

So, whether you’re looking for plastic-free dog food or sustainable dog brands, keep reading to learn more!

What Is Sustainable Dog Food?

Sustainable dog food is produced in a way that minimizes environmental impact and promotes ecological balance. It typically involves using responsibly sourced ingredients, such as free-range, organic, or plant-based proteins, and employing production methods that reduce carbon footprint, conserve water, and prioritize animal welfare. Sustainable dog food brands often focus on reducing packaging waste by using recyclable or compostable materials, aiming to support the health of pets while also protecting the planet.

Why buy sustainable dog food?

Dog and cat food makes up more than 25% of meat consumption in the U.S. That’s a lot of meat! And, sadly, most of it isn’t sustainable and ethical. A big way that brands can reduce their negative impact is by choosing better protein sources. (There are some interesting ones in this article!)

The next thing to consider when you’re shopping for sustainable pet food is the packaging. With nearly 300 million pounds of pet food bags ending up in landfills, biodegradable and recyclable packaging is hugely important.

25 Sustainable Dog Food Brands 

When it comes to sustainable dog food brands, it can feel like there aren’t any options. That’s why we brought together 25 of the best sustainable pet food brands we could find. Whether you’re looking for something vegan and gluten-free or insect proteins (yup, that’s a thing!), there’s something on this list for your pup.

1. Best for Pups in the UK – Beco Pets (UK)

To start us off with a bang, let’s talk about Beco Pets! This UK brand helps lower your pup’s carbon pawprint using low-carbon emission meats like wild-caught wild boar and sustainably-caught fish. Other yummy ingredients you’ll fund in their dog foods include chickpeas, kale, and pumpkin. 

2. Best for Vegan Pups – Benevo Organic Dog Food by Vegeco

Vegan or vegetarian because you love animals? Benevo might be the sustainable dog food you’ve been looking for. Vegeco created Benevo to provide nutritionally sound, vegan food for your favorite furbaby. Their products are made without common allergens and have great ingredients for sensitive tummies…

3. Best for Environmental Impact in the U.S. – Chippin

If you’re interested in innovative, high-impact sustainable dog food, keep reading! Chippin is doing a lot of cool stuff, from their dehydrated wet food to their planet-loving ingredients.

Their food has interesting ingredients that meet your pup’s needs, while thoughtfully working with the environment. Silver carp make up part of the recipe, driving the consumption of a highly invasive species that’s wrecking the Great Lakes. Other fantastic, high-nutrient ingredients they use are sustainably sourced spirulina and crickets.

4. Best for All-Natural Pups – Dr. Harvey’s

Looking for something made thoughtfully in the U.S.? Dr. Harvey’s produces their products in the U.S. with high-quality, unprocessed ingredients. This brand has been bringing us all-natural dog food for more than thirty years. (Talk about being ahead of the curve!) Dr. Harvey’s works with organic farmers with a dedication to sustainability and conservation.

With a variety of dog food options, from grain-free to green superfoods, you’re guaranteed to find something to meet your pups’ needs.

5. Best for Pups With Unique Dietary Needs – The Farmer’s Dog

We’ve all heard that wet food is better than dry for our furbabies. But The Farmer’s Dog takes this a step further with always fresh meals for your favorite furry friend. Does your pup have a tricky tummy or need a prescription diet? The Farmer’s Dog makes custom dishes with locally sourced ingredients for a lower carbon footprint.

6. Best with U.S. Sourced Ingredients – Freshpet Natural Foods

Not every furbaby needs a specially-designed diet. If you’re ready to switch your pup to a healthier, sustainable food, Freshpet is a great option. This U.S. brand is proud to be wind-powered and land-fill free, with recyclable packaging and a long-term goal of carbon neutrality.

Freshpet is a pet, people, and planet-centered brand making better-than-people-quality food for your pup. They source their ingredients from sustainable farmers and cook them to meet FDA and USDA standards. Ready for your furbaby to eat better than you do?

7. Best for Pups Who Like Variety – Halo Pets

Variety is the spice of life, right? Well, Halo thinks so! This brand offers everything from your furbaby’s favorite treats to wet food with a bunch of different recipes. They even have vegan products that are great for sensitive tummies!

8. Best for Big Positive Impact – The Honest Kitchen

We all want our money to go to good things, and The Honest Kitchen makes every penny count. This fantastic B-Corp is dedicated to creating positive change, from supporting biodiversity in sourcing to committing to work with minority-owned businesses. 

Read their ingredients! You’ll find a lot of them familiar, including common ingredients like parsley, turmeric, pumpkin, and quinoa. Their goal was to make the best food out there for their furry friends with people-quality ingredients.

9. Best with 100% Sustainable Packaging – I and love and you

Packaging is a huge part of the waste problem in the West, and that doesn’t end with pet supplies. Single-use items, like food pouches and cups, often can’t be recycled locally and end up going into landfills. “I and love and you” works with TerraCycle, who recycles and reuses these materials for them.

Their nutrient-rich food also has a healthy amount of omegas 3 and 6, fatty acids, and probiotics. And your pup will love that meat and poultry are the top three ingredients in all their recipes!

10. Best with Insect Protein – Jiminy’s 

Did you know pet food production causes around 64 million tons of CO2 emissions a year? That’s the equivalent of driving 153,896,744,755 miles! (Need more context? If you drove from Alaska to Panama over 11 million times, you still wouldn’t have driven that far!) 

By using insect proteins, Jiminy’s cuts out methane emissions and water use from farm animals like cows. If you want to understand the difference switching to insect protein makes, check out Jiminy’s eco calculator. Now, bugs might sound gross, but these insects pack a nutritional punch! Insects are a superfood, providing your pup with much-needed amino acids, probiotics, and omegas 3 and 6. 

11. Best for UK-based Pups You Love to Spoil – Lily’s Kitchen (UK)

Struggling not to give your favorite furbaby a bite of your beef stew when they beg? Then Lily’s Kitchen is for you. Their carefully curated recipes include people favorites like cottage pie and burrito bowls, designed with pups’ needs in mind. They even have vegan options!

This fabulous brand uses recyclable materials in its packaging, and partners with TerraCycle to keep harder-to-recycle materials out of landfills. They also use renewable energy to power their offices, while continuously working to reduce their energy consumption.

12. Best for Your Wallet – Newman’s Own

Yeah, we mean that Newman’s Own! You know, the one with the salad dressing? A huge part of their mission is to improve children’s lives. They do that by donating 100% of their profits to charity. (Yup, all of it!)

Newman’s Own products are made in the U.S. and packaged in recyclable materials.So you can feed your precious pup organic, eco-friendly food without breaking the bank!

13. Best With Carbon Neutral Warehousing and Shipping – Only Natural Pet

When it comes to shopping online, the true cost isn’t in cash. Shipping and warehousing make up nearly 20% of all emissions, with 13% of all emissions coming from warehousing alone. Only Natural Pet uses wind energy and carbon credits to completely neutralize its carbon footprint in these areas. 

This powerhouse B Corp offers a huge variety of foods to meet your pups’ needs. High protein diets? Check. Limited ingredients for sensitive tummies? Check. Plant-based? Of course, they have that! 

14. Best for Transparency and Sustainable Practices – Open Farm 

It’s easy to find brands that say they’re sustainable, but their business practices can be a carefully kept secret. Open Farm works to fully understand its impact on the environment, people, and animals and clearly communicate it to its customers. 

This fabulous brand offers everything your furbaby might crave, from delicious meals and bone broth to treats and supplements. Their proteins range from venison and beef to plant-based and insect varieties, so you’re sure to find something your pup will love!

15. Best for Plant-based Kibble- Petaluma

If you like things simple, you’ll love Petaluma. This vegan brand makes your life easier by providing two great baked products for your furbaby: dry food and chews. If your pup likes peanut butter, Petaluma’s offerings will always feel like a treat!

From solar-powered baking to sourcing from organic, biodiverse farms, Petaluma is easily one of the most sustainable dog food brands available. Rather than working with recyclable materials, they’re working actively to swap out plastics for compostable alternatives. 

16. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Grain-free Diets – Petcurean

One-size-fits-all options can be great, but they can be super limiting. Petcurean offers three basic recipes (including a vegan option!), and multiple varieties for your pups’ needs at different stages.  

17. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Treats – Pezzy

Okay, okay, so they’re not a dog food brand. But, Pezzy makes their low-calorie treats entirely from invasive fish. These wild-caught armored catfish destroy biodiversity in Mexican freshwaters, beating out native species for resources. (So, maybe your pup deserves a couple of extra treats. You know, for saving the planet.)

Pezzy uses compostable and recyclable packaging, but we think their social impact is most impressive. They work exclusively with artisanal fisheries that pay workers 40% more than traditional fisheries. Fish are processed in FDA-registered facilities in Mexico.

18. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Short Ingredients Lists – Portland Pet Food Company 

We know that food with simple ingredients is usually the best. Portland Pet Food takes “simple” to another level with dog food made with around 10 ingredients. Whether your pup needs grain-free biscuits or a new wet food, Portland Pet Food is worth checking out.

19. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Convenient, Raw Foods – Primal

Let’s be real, there’s nothing natural about kibble. But, it makes it easy to feed your pup. Primal makes it easy to give your furbaby the raw diet they would enjoy in nature. Primal sources ethical and sustainable meat from grass-fed cows, cage-free poultry, and wild-caught fish. With freeze-dried, sous vide, and dehydrated foods, you’ll find the perfect food for your pup.

20. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Raw Foods Delivered to Your Door  – Spot & Tango 

What’s better than not having to make raw dog food from scratch? Getting it delivered with a subscription! Spot & Tango proudly ships with eco-friendly packaging, including dissolvable packing materials. And their food? Human-grade and high-quality! 

21. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Affordable Raw Dog Food – Steve’s Real Food 

If you’ve been on the hunt for affordable, convenient raw dog food, look no further! Steve’s makes it easy with tater tot-sized nuggets or square patties for feeding. This brand focuses on using plant-based packaging, with a goal of switching to entirely biodegradable materials. (Ready to help make the world a better place on a budget?)

22. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Large Breed Puppies – Sundays Air-Dried Beef Dog Food 

Sundays is family-owned and sources its beef from a local family farm. (Talk about thinking global and acting local!) Using innovative air-drying techniques, their food is actually denser than most kibble, reducing shipping costs and environmental impact. Sundays uses high-quality ingredients and cuts out tummy troublers like gluten, legumes, and corn. So, your pup’s tummy will love it as much as you do!

23. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Organic Ingredients – Tender & True

Beef might be everyone’s favorite pet protein, but it’s not the most environmentally friendly. Tender & True uses wild-caught fish and ethically raised poultry to give your pup healthy, organic alternatives. Unlike a lot of other brands, Tender & True has a long way to go in terms of sustainable packaging.

24. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Vegan, Grain-free Diets – V-Dog

V-Dog makes healthy vegan dog food, for all the animal lovers out there. While other vegan options can be loaded down with grains, this brand focuses on making dog food that will help your furbaby thrive. 

25. Best Sustainable Dog Food Brand for Vegan Superfoods – Wild Earth

Worried your pup needs too much protein to go vegan? Don’t! Using innovative ingredients like yeast and chickpeas, Wild Earth creates powerfully nutritious vegan food for your furry friend. 

Offset Emissions Per Purchase With EcoCart

For e-commerce businesses in the pet industry, partnering with EcoCart enables you to offer customers eco-friendly options effortlessly. EcoCart’s tools, including carbon offsetting checkout options, allow your business to align with sustainability, reducing your carbon footprint while meeting the demand for responsible pet products. Request a demo today to make a tangible impact with every transaction. Your business, your customers, and the planet will benefit.