British bulldog Roscoe Hamilton—the beloved companion of six-time world champion vegan race car driver Lewis Hamilton—is officially vegan. “I’m a vegan bulldog that loves to travel, play ball, and get attention from all the girls, especially when they rub my bum. I like frisbee and tennis,” Roscoe’s new personal Instagram bio also reads.
In June, Hamilton paid a heartfelt goodbye to his other British bulldog dog companion Coco, who died in her sleep at the age of six. A vocal animal-rights activist since going vegan in 2017, Hamilton adopted Coco and Roscoe in 2013. The athlete explained that Coco exhibited many of the complications associated with purebred British bulldogs such as difficulty breathing, joint pain, and arthritis.
Roscoe, who is turning eight years old in October, is doing well on a fully plant-based diet, according to Hamilton. “Hey guys, so Roscoe is now fully vegan,” the athlete shared in an Instagram story from Roscoe’s account. “Since he has gone vegan, his coat is much softer, his swollen paws have healed up, he is no longer limping with the pain of arthritis, and his breathing has opened up. Super happy with the result and he is, too.”
While there is debate about whether or not dogs should follow a fully plant-based diet, Sarah Dodd, DVM, a consulting veterinarian for vegan dog food brand Halo Holistic Garden of Vegan, assures that dogs—who, unlike wolves, co-evolved with humans—can thrive on a properly managed plant-based diet. “Indeed, there is even evidence which suggests that, in dogs, digestibility of some plant-derived nutrients are even greater than animal-based ones,” Dodd told VegNews, explaining that transitioning a dog to any new diet should be done incrementally and with advice from a veterinary nutritionist.
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