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Questions
Can dogs eat kangaroo? Yes. Properly sourced kangaroo meat can be fed as part of a dog's diet, and for many New Zealand dogs it may also be a genuinely novel protein.
Kangaroo is particularly interesting because it is a very lean red meat. Our boneless Australian kangaroo meat contains 21% protein and just 2% fat, based on the product analysis.
But there are a few important things to understand before simply swapping it into the bowl.
Kangaroo is not the same as wallaby, “novel” does not automatically mean hypoallergenic, and boneless kangaroo meat is not a complete diet by itself.
This guide explains how kangaroo fits into raw feeding, when it may be considered a novel protein, how it compares with other wild proteins and what Kiwi dog owners should know about feeding it safely.
Looking for the food? Shop our Kangaroo Dog Food NZ – Boneless Raw Meat or browse our Wild & Novel Protein collection.
Updated September 2026 — refreshed with current feeding guidance, sourcing information and links.
Kangaroo can be a useful animal protein within an appropriately balanced diet.
Our boneless kangaroo meat provides:
approximately 21% protein;
approximately 2% fat; and
naturally occurring nutrients found in red meat, including iron, zinc and B vitamins.
Because the meat is particularly lean, kangaroo can be useful when you want to add another red meat without introducing a high-fat cut.
However, lean does not automatically mean suitable for every dog.
Dogs have different energy requirements depending on their age, body condition, activity and health. A highly active working dog, for example, may need considerably more dietary energy than a sedentary adult dog.
The rest of the diet still matters.
It can be.
A novel protein is simply an animal protein your individual dog has not eaten before.
For many New Zealand dogs, kangaroo is much less familiar than:
chicken;
beef;
lamb; or
fish.
That can make kangaroo useful when owners want to introduce a less-common protein.
But there is no universal list of “novel proteins”.
If your dog has previously eaten kangaroo-based kibble, raw kangaroo, kangaroo treats or mixed-protein food containing kangaroo, it may no longer be novel for that dog.
For more on less-commonly-fed proteins including possum, goat, hare, horse and kangaroo, read our Novel Proteins for Dogs NZ Guide.
Not automatically.
Kangaroo is often marketed as a “hypoallergenic protein” because many dogs have had limited previous exposure to it.
The more accurate description is less commonly fed or potentially novel.
Dogs can potentially react to any dietary protein.
If your veterinarian is investigating a suspected food allergy, they may recommend a carefully controlled elimination diet using an appropriate novel protein or a hydrolysed veterinary diet.
The important part is that the chosen food avoids ingredients the dog has eaten previously.
Treats, chews, table food and flavoured medications can also interfere with an elimination trial.
The Merck Veterinary Manual has further information about veterinary elimination diets.
If your dog has persistent itching, recurring ear problems or ongoing gastrointestinal signs, talk to your veterinarian rather than assuming a particular meat will fix the problem.
No.
Kangaroos and wallabies are related marsupials, but they are different animals.
That distinction is particularly relevant in New Zealand.
Wallaby is available as a wild New Zealand protein because introduced wallaby populations occur in parts of the country.
Our kangaroo meat, on the other hand, is sourced from Australia.
If you are simply rotating proteins for variety, both may provide useful options.
But if you are keeping a detailed protein history for an elimination diet or investigating a suspected food reaction, record kangaroo and wallaby separately.
“Wild meat” is not one protein category — the individual animal species matters.
Kangaroo is naturally a very lean red meat.
Our specific boneless kangaroo product has the following typical analysis:
Protein: 21%
Fat: 2%
Moisture: 75%
Ash: 2%
That makes it one of the leaner raw meats in our range.
The key phrase here is our specific product analysis.
Nutritional values can vary between kangaroo products depending on the cut, processing and additional ingredients.
A kangaroo-based kibble, kangaroo roll, mixed raw food and pure boneless kangaroo meat can all have completely different fat levels.
Always check the analysis of the food you are actually feeding.
Its low fat level can make our boneless kangaroo a useful ingredient when an owner is deliberately keeping the overall diet relatively lean.
That does not mean it should automatically be prescribed for a dog with a medical condition.
For example, dogs with a history of pancreatitis often require careful dietary management, but the suitability of a diet depends on the complete meal, not just one ingredient.
Our kangaroo contains 2% fat, but boneless kangaroo meat is not nutritionally complete by itself.
If your dog has pancreatitis or has been prescribed a restricted-fat diet, discuss the complete feeding plan with your veterinarian.
No.
This is one of the most important things to understand about our kangaroo meat.
It is:
100% boneless Australian kangaroo meat.
That makes it a simple single-animal-protein ingredient.
But boneless meat does not provide the same nutritional profile as a diet containing suitable amounts of bone, organs and all of the other nutrients dogs require.
For example, boneless meat does not provide the calcium contributed by edible bone.
So kangaroo can be used:
as one component of a balanced raw meal;
as part of a protein rotation;
alongside other appropriate raw ingredients; or
within a professionally planned diet.
It should not simply replace a nutritionally complete diet gram-for-gram for long-term sole feeding.
For more on putting a raw diet together, read our Raw Dog Feeding Guide NZ.
Our frozen boneless kangaroo product contains:
100% Australian kangaroo meat.
No chicken, beef, lamb or other animal species are included in the meat.
That can be useful when you want to know exactly which animal protein you are feeding.
However, it is worth distinguishing between:
All animal protein comes from one species.
The product has one ingredient — in this case, kangaroo meat.
The finished food supplies all required nutrients in appropriate amounts for its stated life stage.
Our boneless kangaroo is single ingredient and single species, but it should not be confused with a nutritionally complete standalone diet.
Our kangaroo meat comes from Australia.
Kangaroos are free-ranging wild animals rather than conventionally farmed livestock.
Commercial kangaroo harvesting in Australia operates under wildlife-management systems that include population monitoring, management plans and harvest controls.
For a New Zealand customer, there is also another layer of control because animal products entering New Zealand must satisfy our biosecurity import requirements.
MPI explains that imported pet foods and animal products must meet requirements intended to prevent unwanted pests and diseases from entering New Zealand.
You can read more through MPI's pet food import information.
You will often see kangaroo promoted as a sustainable meat.
There are some clear differences between commercial kangaroo harvesting and conventional livestock farming.
Kangaroos are wild animals, so their production does not involve dedicated farmland, planted feed crops or conventional livestock farming systems.
Commercial harvesting also operates within Australian wildlife-management programmes.
That said, sustainability is a broad subject involving environmental, animal-management and supply-chain considerations.
We prefer describing how the meat is sourced rather than claiming that one protein is universally more sustainable than another.
There is no special “kangaroo amount” that applies to every dog.
For healthy adult dogs eating raw food, a commonly used starting point is around 2–3% of ideal adult body weight per day.
But that refers to the dog's total diet, not 2–3% of body weight in boneless kangaroo alone.
The right amount will vary according to:
age;
activity;
ideal body weight;
current body condition;
metabolism;
neuter status; and
the energy density of the complete diet.
Use our Raw Dog Food Feeding Calculator for a practical starting estimate.
Then adjust according to your dog's body condition and activity.
If your dog is already eating raw food, introduce kangaroo sensibly.
Start with a modest amount.
Keep the rest of the meal relatively familiar.
Increase the amount over several meals if your dog remains comfortable.
Monitor appetite, stools and general condition.
Keep the overall meal nutritionally appropriate.
Introducing five new foods at once makes it much harder to tell which ingredient agrees — or disagrees — with your dog.
If you are carrying out a veterinary elimination diet, follow your veterinarian's plan instead of a normal food-transition process.
Kangaroo can be included as an ingredient in an appropriately formulated puppy diet.
But puppies have specific nutritional requirements for growth, including carefully controlled mineral and energy intake.
Boneless kangaroo meat alone is not a complete puppy food.
The same applies to most plain muscle meats.
If you are making raw meals for a growing puppy, use a properly formulated diet rather than simply applying an adult feeding ratio.
Some dogs may tolerate kangaroo very well.
But “sensitive stomach” is not a diagnosis, and kangaroo should not be presented as a treatment for digestive problems.
A dog might appear to improve after changing foods because:
the protein changed;
the fat level changed;
the ingredient list became simpler;
the feeding quantity changed; or
another ingredient that did not suit the dog was removed.
Persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort, weight loss or other gastrointestinal signs deserve veterinary investigation.
They have different purposes.
Our Raw Kangaroo Dog Food is boneless meat intended to be incorporated into the dog's wider diet.
Kangaroo treats are supplemental foods used for:
training;
enrichment; or
occasional rewards.
Treats should still be counted within your dog's overall daily food intake.
This becomes particularly important for dogs on tightly controlled elimination diets or calorie-controlled feeding plans.
There is no universally “best” novel protein.
The useful question is: which protein suits your dog and the role you need it to play?
Very lean boneless red meat and a less-common protein for many NZ dogs.
A distinctive New Zealand wild protein available in several formats, including meat, bone and organ products.
Read our Possum for Dogs NZ Guide.
A versatile wild NZ protein available in formats including mince, boneless meat and organs.
Read our Goat for Dogs NZ Guide.
A less-common New Zealand wild protein available as a single-species whole-hare product containing meat, bone and organ.
Read our Hare for Dogs NZ Guide.
For the broader comparison, see our Novel Proteins for Dogs NZ Guide.
Raw kangaroo should be handled with the same care as other raw animal products.
Good practice includes:
keeping it frozen until required;
thawing the portion you need in the refrigerator;
keeping raw pet food separate from ready-to-eat human food;
washing hands after handling raw meat;
washing bowls, utensils and preparation surfaces thoroughly; and
refrigerating thawed food promptly.
New Zealand Food Safety notes that raw meat pet food can contain microorganisms capable of causing disease in animals or people.
You can read its review here:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/70305/direct
Extra care may be appropriate in households containing young children, elderly people, pregnant people or people with reduced immunity.
Yes. Properly sourced and handled raw kangaroo meat can form part of an appropriately planned dog diet.
It may be if your dog has not previously eaten kangaroo.
Novel protein status depends on the individual dog's food history.
No animal protein can be guaranteed hypoallergenic.
Kangaroo may be useful as a novel protein for dogs that have not previously been exposed to it.
Our boneless kangaroo contains approximately 2% fat, according to its product analysis.
Other kangaroo foods may contain very different amounts of fat, so check the individual product.
Our product analysis shows approximately 21% protein.
Boneless kangaroo should not be used as the sole long-term diet by itself.
It does not provide every nutrient dogs require in appropriate amounts.
No.
They are related but different animal species. Wallaby is available as a wild New Zealand protein, while our kangaroo meat is sourced from Australia.
Kangaroo can be included as an ingredient in a properly balanced puppy diet.
Boneless kangaroo alone does not provide complete puppy nutrition.
Our boneless kangaroo is very lean at approximately 2% fat, so it may be an ingredient worth discussing with your veterinarian when a lower-fat feeding plan is required.
It is not a complete diet by itself, and dogs with pancreatitis require individual veterinary guidance.
The Raw Dog Food Co supplies frozen boneless Australian kangaroo meat for dogs in New Zealand.
If you want to introduce a particularly lean, less-common red meat to your dog's raw diet, our kangaroo is a simple single-species option.
Typical analysis: 21% protein and just 2% fat.
Browse Wild & Novel Protein Raw Dog Food
Read the Novel Proteins for Dogs NZ Guide
Read our Possum for Dogs NZ Guide
Read our Goat for Dogs NZ Guide
Read our Hare for Dogs NZ Guide
Read our Raw Dog Feeding Guide NZ
Use our Raw Dog Food Feeding Calculator
If your dog has a medical condition, is growing, pregnant or lactating, or you are investigating a suspected food allergy, seek individual advice from your veterinarian or an appropriately qualified animal-nutrition professional.
New Zealand Food Safety — Microbiological Safety and Suitability of Raw Meat Petfood
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/70305/direct
Ministry for Primary Industries — Importing Pet Food
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/import/food-animals/pet-food
Merck Veterinary Manual — Cutaneous Food Allergy in Animals
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/integumentary-system/food-allergy/cutaneous-food-allergy-in-animals
Can dogs eat horse meat? Our NZ guide covers horse meat for dogs, novel proteins, lean boneless raw meat, nutrition, feeding amounts, dietary balance and safe raw feeding.
an dogs eat hare? Our NZ guide explains wild hare for dogs, hare vs rabbit, novel proteins, whole-hare raw food, meat, bone and organ, plus practical feeding, sourcing and safety advice.
Can dogs eat goat? Our NZ guide explains wild goat for dogs, novel proteins, raw goat mince, boneless meat, bones and organs, plus practical feeding, sourcing and safety advice.
