Would You Feed Your Lab-Grown Dog Meats?
(Picture Credit: Elena Popova/Getty Images).
Can lab-grown meat be safe for dogs? New research has revealed that synthetic meat may be an option in the near future.
Pet parenting is a growing environmental concern
As published in PLOS ONE, one study says the sheer amount of pets in the world—particularly in the United States—is concerning. Alarmingly, the study says that dogs and cats “ constitute about 25–30% of the environmental impacts from animal production in terms of the use of land, water, fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides.”
“As pet ownership increases in some developing countries,” the study continues, “pet ownership will compound the environmental impacts of human dietary choices.” In conclusion, the study recommends “simultaneous industry-wide efforts to reduce overfeeding,” including alternative protein sources.
According to another reportThe global pet food industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than whole countries. This same report also states that every year, pet food production takes place in an area twice the size the UK. As Dr. Peter Alexander of the University of Edinburgh says, “ Environment change can be influenced by how companion animals are fed. This is a topic that has been previously overlooked, but…should be considered alongside other actions to reduce climate change.”
Lab-Grown Meats and Other Alternatives
Dog parents want their pets to eat the highest quality food possible. However, it’s important to recognize the need to adjust all our diets, including our dogs’. What are your options?
As the BBC reportsTRoslin Technology and Agronomics, two biotech companies, have already begun to produce lab-grown chicken meat. The process begins with stem cells that are given nutrients in a laboratory. This new technique can produce actual meat without the use of livestock. Additionally, production is sustainable, since the stem cell stock is “infinitely renewing.”
Prof Jacqui Matthews, former chief scientific officer for Roslin Technologies, says, “Cultivated meat provides the option to feed cats and dogs animal material-based diets without the ethical and environmental implications associated with feeding them traditional meat.” Contrastingly, while vegan dog food It does not require animal protein and is usually made up of synthetic compounds.
However, it is a fact that humans adapt to change. climate changeDogs will do the same. That being the case, we should keep our dogs in mind when considering how to change our diets.
The post Would You Feed Your Dog Lab-Grown Meat? This article was first published on DogTime.