Recent Study Raises Questions About High Levels Of Heavy Metals in Dry Dog Food

Why This New Dog Food Study Should Matter to Every Dog Owner

A recent report from the nonprofit Clean Label Project has sent ripples through the pet-food world. Their comprehensive dog food category study found elevated levels of heavy metals and industrial contaminants in many popular dry dog foods. This is the same kibble that more than 85% of dog owners serve their dogs every day.

The organization tested 79 different dry, air-dried, freeze-dried, and fresh/frozen products and compared their contaminant levels to decades of data from thousands of human food, beverage, and supplement products. What they found was striking. On average, dry dog food contained significantly higher levels of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead than human food. In some cases, the amounts were many times greater than those found in products made for people.

It’s no wonder this has dog parents across the country pausing at their pup’s food bowl.

What the Study Tells Us About Dog Food 

Here are a few of the most important takeaways from the study:

• Dry dog food had the highest levels of heavy metals and industrial chemicals when compared with fresh or frozen foods and human consumables.
• Mercury in dry kibble samples was found at levels that were, on average, notably elevated compared to fresh/frozen diets, and up to 20.7 × higher than fresh/frozen dog foods in this study’s comparison.
• Fresh and frozen products were generally much lower in contaminants.

Experts emphasize that while the long-term health effects of these contaminants are not fully understood, heavy metals can accumulate in organs over time, and that concern alone is prompting pet parents to rethink what goes into the bowl each day.

Why This Matters Now

With millions of U.S. households owning dogs (about 68 million according to industry reports) and the global dog food market valued at $72.58 billion in 2024, how we feed our pets isn’t a niche question…it’s a mainstream concern.

Dog food isn’t just an annual purchase like a toy or a leash. Most dogs eat the same food every day, meaning whatever contaminants are present could be a daily exposure. The Clean Label Project notes that because dogs rely on the same diet repeatedly over months and years, even low-level contaminants may warrant attention.

A Better Choice? Why Some Dog Parents Are Looking at Human-Grade Options

So what can dog owners do if they’re uneasy about these findings?

One trend gaining traction is moving away from traditional dry kibble toward fresh, human-grade dog food, made with ingredients that meet the same safety and quality standards as those for people. These foods aren’t just “premium-looking.” They are made in facilities that follow strict human-food safety protocols and are often formulated by veterinary nutritionists.

A brand that often comes up in these conversations is The Farmer’s Dog. They make human-grade, fresh meals that are gently cooked and delivered directly to your door, meeting safety standards that many traditional pet foods don’t meet. Each recipe is formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, reflecting a commitment to clean ingredients, rigorous standards, and food that’s designed to support long-term canine health.

Pet owners who choose human-grade diets often cite peace of mind as a key reason: if the food is safe enough for humans to eat, it should be safe for daily feeding to dogs, too. The Farmer’s Dog’s recipes are designed to meet balanced nutritional needs, and because they’re made fresh with higher-quality ingredients, they naturally result in fewer contaminants than ultra-processed dry foods.

Put simply: choosing foods made from whole, minimally processed ingredients, especially those tested rigorously for purity, can be one way to reduce potential exposure to the kinds of contaminants highlighted in the Clean Label Project’s report.

Rethinking What’s in the Bowl

The Clean Label Project’s study doesn’t mean every bag on the shelf is dangerous, but it does challenge us to think more critically about what’s actually in dog food. Whether that means choosing certified low-contaminant brands, blending fresh foods with other foods, or exploring human-grade options like The Farmer’s Dog, there are choices available that can help pet parents feel confident in the food they serve.