Earth911 Podcast: Dr. Danielle Bernal on Plant-Based Diets for Dogs

Our guest today, Dr. Danielle Bernal, is a veterinarian at Wellness Natural Pet Food. She recommends switching to plant-based foods and is here to discuss the health benefits and animal health issues to track when adopting more plant-based foods for your dog. The American Pet Products Association reports that about 90 million dogs lived in U.S. homes in 2019, and ownership jumped during the pandemic. According to UCLA research, pets consume about a quarter of the meat produced annually in the United States. And meat accounts for the largest share of our food supply’s environmental impact. For every pound of beef in dog food replaced by plant-based alternatives, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 26.5 pounds.

Danielle explains how to transition dogs to a new diet, plant-based foods, and supplements, and the produce your dog should avoid. Wellness Natural Pet Food recently introduced its first no-meat product, Wellness CORE Digestive Health Plant-Based, a probiotic-coated kibble made with egg protein. The company offers a free packaging recyclng program for its products, which is available through TerraCycle. You can learn more about Wellness Natural Pet Food at wellnesspetfood.com.