Lab-Grown Mouse Meat - For Cats - Is Here
Cats and dogs consume more than 25% of the US meat supply. Now, one innovative biotech company hopes to make things more sustainable and healthy with the launch of the world’s first lab-grown meat product for pets.
Credit: Because, Animals
The race for sustainable food solutions to feed the world’s growing population is well underway as start-ups, food scientists, and the world’s leading food brands continue to market sustainable plant-proteins and develop lab-grown meat.
But it’s not just the food that we eat: the pet-food market is also set to be transformed over the coming years as innovative companies and tech start-ups reimagine food for our companion animals in more sustainable and healthy ways.
Now, one innovative company has launched what it calls the world’s first cultured meat product for pets: The Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies for Cats.
The sustainable cookies contain lab-grown mouse meat - a cat’s native protein source - without having to harm a single mouse. The lab-grown meat is 100% meat - but it comes from animal cells that grow inside a vat (like beer) instead of inside an animal, the brand explains on their website.
Also known as cell-based or cultured meat, lab-grown meat is one of the leading solutions to eliminate factory farms and help make the suffering of animals in the farming industry a thing of the past. Growing meat in a lab-setting cut the production’s carbon footprint drastically too.
Because, Animals, the company behind the cookies, describe themselves as the only pet food company growing cultured meat for dogs and cats. Founded in 2016, the biotech company aims to “make the most sustainable and nutritious food for dogs and cats on the planet — without ever harming any animals or the environment”.
And transforming the pet-industry’s consumption of meat is a key factor in a move towards a more sustainable food system. Staggeringly, cats and dogs consume more than 25% of the US meat supply. Products like Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies could help change that.
“The public launch of Harmless Hunt is a milestone for us, for the cultured and alt-protein industry, for pet food, and for animals raised and slaughtered to feed cats and dogs,” said Because, Animals co-founder and CEO Dr. Shannon Falconer. “We are finally able to provide pets with a healthier, safer, greener choice at a price that will be on par with other premium retail products.”
Because, Animals expect their Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies for Cats to be on the market in early 2022. And the company is now taking pre-orders and preparing to sell a limited batch at the end of the year.
The Rise of Vegan Pet Food
The environmental impact of meat and animal welfare concerns are two factors behind a growing popularity for vegan pet food, particularly a rising demand for vegan dog food.
Increased awareness of the health benefits for dogs on a vegan diet are helping drive the trend: the likes of musician Katy Perry and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton are among those who have publicly spoken about feeding their canine companions a plant-based diet.
“3 months ago, I decided to transition [Roscoe] to a vegan diet. It has changed his life”, Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “He now doesn’t have any breathing issues, his throat is no longer restricted, and he doesn’t overheat like he did before and he loves to run. He also has no allergy issues. He’s like a puppy again!”.
And the availability of branded plant-based dog food has made it easier for consumers to sample the potential benefits. Companies like Wild Earth are making sustainable, meat-free alternatives to dog food, and are having huge success: Wild Earth’s founder Ryan Bethencourt pitched his company on Shark Tank - not only did the Sharks taste his dog treats, but Mark Cuban invested in them too.
Whether it uses meat grown in a lab or vegan protein like soya, plant-based pet-food is here to stay - and that’s good news for animals and the planet. Find out more, by listening to Species Unite’s episode Ryan Bethencourt: This is the Future of Dog Food.
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Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.
The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.