A Startup In Colorado Is Making Cell-Cultured Meat For Pets

A startup in Colorado is experimenting with cell-cultured meat in an effort to provide healthier, greener pet food. Quartz reports that former ad executive Rich Kelleman launched Bond Pets after he and his wife came up short on finding a healthy pet brand honest about its ingredients.

"The sourcing of meat proteins is opaque," Kelleman told Quartz. "When we found boutique options that were out there, the science was suspect."

So, Kelleman is working to build antibiotic-free "clean meat" from cells instead of live animals, skipping the slaughter process altogether and lessening the environmental footprint. Other companies such as Hampton Creek are working to also make this a reality for humans; the brand, which just released a first-of-its-kind eggless scrambled egg, is in the early stages of introducing cell-cultured meat and seafood products. Its first clean meat product is expected to hit shelves by the end of 2018.

"From a health perspective, this is the best meat you could eat. As a doctor, I would prescribe it to all my meat-eating patients, since it would be much safer than any other meat out there today," Dr. Michael Greger, founder of NutritionFacts.org and typically an outspoken advocate for plant-based diets, offered in a statement supporting Hampton Creek's effort. "More broadly, we would all be much better off if meat was produced this way: it would virtually wipe out the risk of most animal-originating pandemics and food-borne illnesses."

Bond Pets is still in the planning stages of creating clean meat for furry friends, but pet food industry consultant Ryan Yamka told Quartz that the product might arrive soon. "It wouldn't be unheard of to see it in the market in a couple years," Yamka explained. "If you walked down the aisles this year at the trade shows, you already see people talking about humanely raised and sustainable [pet food]."

If you're like us, you like to treat your pet to a few tableside snacks here and there. According to the American Kennel Club, it's safe to give dogs small amounts of corn, fully cooked eggs, peanut butter, and plain yogurt. On the other hand, it's important to never allow them these 15 foods.

Related video: Spaghetti and meatballs for your dog.