Animal Welfare First:
What Pet Owners Really Value in Pet Food
What Pet Owners Really Value in Pet Food
TL;DR
- 1,066 U.S. pet owners surveyed
- Both animal welfare and sustainability matter
- Animal welfare matters more than environmental impact
- Cost is the biggest barrier
- Pet preference and medical needs also influence choices
- Third-party certifications are not well known yet
- Veterinarians are the most trusted advisors
What actually drives the way we choose food for our pets — health, price, habit, or something more?
A new brief research report in Frontiers in Veterinary Science set out to answer part of that question. Researchers surveyed 1,066 U.S. pet owners who use veterinary services, asking what matters to them when buying pet food and how veterinary teams can support more sustainable and welfare-conscious choices.
The findings come from an American sample, so the picture may look different in Europe - but the patterns are worth paying attention to anywhere.
One of the clearest results was that both topics matter. Most respondents rated environmental sustainability and animal welfare as very or extremely important when choosing pet food.
But animal welfare was the stronger driver: 81.1% considered it very or extremely important, compared with 70.1% for environmental sustainability.
In other words, conversations about better pet food choices may land more effectively when they start with animal welfare rather than climate or environmental impact alone.
The importance of animal welfare also held steady across demographic groups.
Environmental sustainability varied more - younger respondents and people living in urban areas tended to place greater weight on it.
When it came to barriers, cost was the most common reason people might not choose these products, for both welfare- and sustainability-focused options. Pet preference and medical needs also played a role, especially for environmentally focused choices.
Certifications were another interesting thread. Most respondents were not familiar with animal welfare or environmental sustainability certifications in pet food. But once introduced to the idea, many said they would be likely to use them when deciding what to buy.
That matters because certifications can make complex choices simpler. They can help owners identify products that meet certain welfare or sustainability standards. The authors are careful to note, though, that certifications do not automatically guarantee that a food is nutritionally adequate.
The veterinary team has a real role here. Respondents trusted veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and even front desk staff as sources of information on these topics — with veterinarians being the most trusted of all.
It is worth keeping one caveat in mind: this study measured what people say they value, and stated preferences do not always match what ends up in the shopping cart.
Still, the direction is clear.
If the goal is to help pet owners make more ethical and sustainable food choices, animal welfare may be the best place to begin. It is a value that resonates widely — and it can open the door to broader conversations about the health of animals, people, and the environment.
Source: Clark M., Scott D., Kern-Allely C., Koren A., Puaa K.K., Delcambre J. and Duncan C. (2026). Veterinary clients value animal welfare and environmental sustainability in pet food choices. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 13:1735331. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1735331. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Read the full study.
A new brief research report in Frontiers in Veterinary Science set out to answer part of that question. Researchers surveyed 1,066 U.S. pet owners who use veterinary services, asking what matters to them when buying pet food and how veterinary teams can support more sustainable and welfare-conscious choices.
The findings come from an American sample, so the picture may look different in Europe - but the patterns are worth paying attention to anywhere.
One of the clearest results was that both topics matter. Most respondents rated environmental sustainability and animal welfare as very or extremely important when choosing pet food.
But animal welfare was the stronger driver: 81.1% considered it very or extremely important, compared with 70.1% for environmental sustainability.
In other words, conversations about better pet food choices may land more effectively when they start with animal welfare rather than climate or environmental impact alone.
The importance of animal welfare also held steady across demographic groups.
Environmental sustainability varied more - younger respondents and people living in urban areas tended to place greater weight on it.
When it came to barriers, cost was the most common reason people might not choose these products, for both welfare- and sustainability-focused options. Pet preference and medical needs also played a role, especially for environmentally focused choices.
Certifications were another interesting thread. Most respondents were not familiar with animal welfare or environmental sustainability certifications in pet food. But once introduced to the idea, many said they would be likely to use them when deciding what to buy.
That matters because certifications can make complex choices simpler. They can help owners identify products that meet certain welfare or sustainability standards. The authors are careful to note, though, that certifications do not automatically guarantee that a food is nutritionally adequate.
The veterinary team has a real role here. Respondents trusted veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and even front desk staff as sources of information on these topics — with veterinarians being the most trusted of all.
It is worth keeping one caveat in mind: this study measured what people say they value, and stated preferences do not always match what ends up in the shopping cart.
Still, the direction is clear.
If the goal is to help pet owners make more ethical and sustainable food choices, animal welfare may be the best place to begin. It is a value that resonates widely — and it can open the door to broader conversations about the health of animals, people, and the environment.
Source: Clark M., Scott D., Kern-Allely C., Koren A., Puaa K.K., Delcambre J. and Duncan C. (2026). Veterinary clients value animal welfare and environmental sustainability in pet food choices. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 13:1735331. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1735331. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Read the full study.