🐜 Eating Bugs Is Healthier For Dogs

In Today’s Email:

• Creepy crawlies in your dog food might help your dog (and the earth).

• “Shadow of a Dog” follows an “Intuitive” Pet Tracker.

• “The Squeeze” aka The Internet’s Best Dog News in 60 seconds.

• The Last Laugh: What we’re laughing with. Not at.

Little Critters = Big Nutrition for Pets

You might not know it yet, but this is the best thing to hit pet food since, well…forever. And we’re about to tell you why.

The global insect protein market is expected to reach $3.3B by 2027 and apparently, once you go black soldier fly larvae, you never go back.

And big name brands like Nestle Purina and Mars have recently joined the move by using dried black soldier fly larvae (BSFL).

Before you continue, I know what you’re thinking, gross…

Here is Suzanne van den Eshof, director of marketing and business development for Protix, who says:

More Movement from other Brands:

• Jiminy’s is working on its Series A, with a Petco distribution deal for its powdered cricket protein dog food and treats.

• Hope Pet Food recently expanded its “Berry Buglicious” treat line, made from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) protein.

• Ÿnsect advances plans to “revolutionize” food system with new insect-based pet nutrition brand, and is rapidly expanding across the globe.

Why The Interest in Insects All of a Sudden?

Well, insects have been eaten by humans for tens of thousands of years, and they still retain an important place as a traditional food in many parts of the world including Mexico, Thailand, South Korea, Australia and China.

It is estimated that about two billion people worldwide consume literally thousands of different insect species as part of their regular diet.

Here’s what’s fueling the insect movement in the pet industry:

Sustainability

• Insect-based pet food aims to reduce the 64 million tons of carbon dioxide that is emitted each year from producing and the consumption of meat-based products.

• Insects take up a fraction of the acres required by a cattle feedlot, with crickets producing 80 percent less methane than cattle.

• Water conservation - For example, one 5-oz. bag of Jiminy’s treats saves 200 gallons of water.

• Raising larvae takes just seven days, whereas raising and harvesting cattle takes approximately 18 months. “And the land required to raise cattle is staggering verses the small footprint of the humble BSFL,” added Cynthia Dunston Quirk, founder, Scout & Zoe’s.

• “It dines and grows on fruit and veggie waste using no additional water,” Dunston Quirk said. “It releases zero methane gas into the environment. Billions of larvae grow in a very compact space. Such an amazing little critter. Delicious, too.”

• Insect farming has a lower impact on biodiversity than livestock farming, as it does not require deforestation or large-scale land use changes.

The New Superfood

According to Bjarne Gravesen Jensen, co-founder and chief executive officer of sustainable dog food brand Globe Buddy:

The Origin of the BSFL in Pet Food

“Pets eat insects when they are in the backyard,” said Cynthia Dunston Quirk, founder of Scout & Zoe’s.

Scout & Zoe’s created jerky for canines using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in 2019. That’s when the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was first introduced to BSFL as a potential dog food ingredient. In August 2021, AAFCO voted to approve its use in adult dog food, joining approved use in salmonid, poultry and swine feed. Currently, BSFL is the only insect product that has successfully gone through the AAFCO ingredient definition process. Usage for felines is under review. (Via PetfoodProcessing)

The Science is Young but Promising

Suzanne van den Eshof, director of marketing and business development for Protix says:

Barriers to Adoption

There are a few hurdles that these little critters have to get over…

Cost - According to Glenn Rankin, the managing director of insect-based pet food brand Yora, “Pet food made from insect protein costs roughly five times more than traditional pet food. “That might be a hard pill to swallow for pet parents, or it just might be another part of the budget as we see spending increase across the board, especially when it comes to maintaining your pet’s health and wellness.

Convincing Pet Parents - This is the hardest element, with adoption by pet parents being the most important and largest barrier to anything new in the pet industry. Most consumers perceive that their dogs should have meat,” agrees Mark Finke, a pet care consultant.

The British Veterinary Association noted in a recent commentary, “Lots of consumers look at ingredient statements. If meat isn’t the first ingredient, they will not necessarily believe it’s in the best interest of the health of their pet,”

From one pet parent to another, let’s help usher these little critters into the mainstream.

In Search of A Missing Puppy: A Canine Detective Story

Jim Tierney, who runs a pet-care service by day, calls himself an intuitive pet tracker—not a “dogcatcher.” When a pet is missing, owners and rescue organizations call on Tierney for help, providing any information they can about a missing dog’s likely whereabouts. Then, armed with several night-vision trail cameras, a large cage, and a generous cache of hot dogs, Tierney embarks on nighttime stakeouts.

From The New Yorker, the new short documentary “Shadow of a Dog,” by @seanpaulsen and @bradwickham, follows his adventures through New York City.

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

• 📈 Dog Biz: The Pet Food M&A Roundup

• 💰Here’s how to kickstart your pet sitting side hustle.

• ⚕️Dogs could hold the key to curing cancer!

• 💸 That’s lyka lot: Pet Wellness brand Lyka secures $55 million in Series B funding

• ☀️People are putting sunscreen on their dogs?

• ✈️ Giddy-up! 10 best dog-friendly destinations to travel to this summer.

• 👩 The Gaga Dog-napping case continues

• 🥺 Dog insists on saying “goob mornings” to his BFF vacuum cleaner. I’m crying.

Today’s Last Laugh:

Introducing the Purebred Goodboy