Is a vegan diet healthy for your dog?

A dog carries a sign saying ‘Vegan for the planet’. While dogs are descended from the wolf, they are not carnivores, like cats, but omnivores. However, experts disagree on whether an exclusively vegan diet can provide the animals with sufficient nutrients. Photo: dpa

Factory farming and the climate crisis have spoiled some people’s appetite for meat. According to figures from Germany’s Food and Agriculture Ministry, 14% of Germans followed a vegetarian or vegan diet last year.

When it comes to pets, however, people are being confronted with a dilemma. How is it justifiable to provide kilos of meat for dogs and cats that you yourself reject for ethical or other reasons?