Treats from the Swamp

Dog owners are always looking for new dog foods and treats for their beloved companions, of course,

  

Courtesy of Wiki Commons 

owners must use caution and avoid some foods and treats that are made out of the USA that have been determined harmful to dogs. But there is one brand of foods and treats called Wild Nutria by Marsh Dog that in good conscious I can't feed my dogs, caused their main ingredient is Nutria, yes good old Swamp Rat!

Nutria(Myocasta Coypus) is an invasive species to the US since the 1800s, they were introduced from South America for their fur to replace our dwindling beaver population. When the fur market collapsed in the mid-1900s, many of the Nutria farmers couldn't afford to care for these animals and released them into the wild. The Nutria survived in their non-native home and thrived. They expanded their territory via rivers, streams, storms\hurricanes, thus, populating in almost every state, with Lousiana and the gulf coast one of the most populated, causing heavy damage to the wetlands, rivers, and lakes.

 Efforts to eradicate Nutria in most states have been null and in 2002 Louisiana Department of Wildlife (LDWF) issued a bounty on Nutria of $5(which was raised to$6 in 2019) to hunters and trappers. Apparently, the bounty did not reduce the population, so if you can't eradicate them --you eat them! In 2002, Marsh Dogs began processing their dog food and treats.

For those who do not know about this rodent, here is some information, Nutria (Coypus) is a big rodent native to South America. It grows between 17 to 25 inches from head to rump and it's tail 10 to 16 inches. Nutria weighs between 15 and 22 pounds and looks like a cross between a raccoon and a giant rat with two large orange teeth and rounded tail. It has three litters per year with 2 to 13 offspring per litter.

Nutria is semi-aquatic creatures who prefer freshwater to saltwater and live in burrows and connected tunnels near rivers, canals, lakes, and wetlands. They have a voracious appetite for wetland plants, roots, bark and occasionally, snails and insects, sugar cane, rice, and corn.

According to the Marsh Dog, Nutria has more protein and less fat than chicken, but to me, it's still swamp rat. Perhaps, I am too picky about what my pets eat, or maybe it's because they are rescues and I am overprotective, but still--swamp rat!

Would you feed your dog Wild Nutria? 

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Ref.

https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Species/Nutria