From cow udder sticks to ostrich feet, a range of weird and wonderful dog treats are already on sale in the UK.
But these have been trumped by what is arguably the most unusual treat yet.
The world’s first lab-grown dog treat, Chick Bites, went on sale on Friday, featuring cultivated chicken.
The meat is made using cells from chicken eggs, before being combined with a range of ingredients including chickpea flour, dried fruits, and yeast extract.
Despite being grown in the lab, its developer, Meatly, claims the treat is ‘just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast’.
To put these claims to the test, MailOnline enlisted the help of four plucky pooches.
The dogs were presented with two options – the lab-grown treat, or their favourite meaty alternative.
So, are the sustainable snacks all they’re stacked up to be?
Despite being grown in the lab, its developer, Meatly, claims the treat is ‘just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast’. To put these claims to the test, MailOnline enlisted the help of four plucky pooches
The meat is made using cells from chicken eggs, before being combined with a range of ingredients including chickpea flour, dried fruits, and yeast extract
Our first willing taster appeared to be unphased by the fact that the new treat was grown in the lab.
Rather than heading for its much-loved favourite, the pooch went straight for the Chick Bites!
The second tester was less sure about the lab-grown option, and although it initially went to nibble on the Chick Bites, it quickly reverted to its usual treat.
Pooch number three only gave the Chick Bites a fleeting sniff, before realising it wasn’t real meat, and heading for the regular snack.
Finally, our fourth doggy taster agreed with the majority, and opted for the regular treat over the lab-grown option.
Meatly teamed up with plant-based dog food brand, THE PACK, to create ‘Chick Bites’.
The lab-grown dog food is created through a three-step process, which begins with a small sample of cells taken from a chicken egg.
‘After this, we never use another animal product in our production, ever,’ Meatly explains.
The dogs were presented with two options – the lab-grown treat, or their favourite meaty alternative
Meatly, teamed up with plant-based dog food brand, THE PACK, to create ‘Chick Bites’
The cells are cultured in the lab, where scientists provide them with the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids needed for them to grow into meat.
Finally, the cells are nurtured in a container that controls temperature and acidity, which Meatly compares to the process used to make yoghurt or beer.
‘When our meat is ready, we work with the world’s leading pet food manufacturers to make delicious meals for pets,’ it added.
Owen Ensor, Founding CEO of Meatly, said: ‘We’re incredibly excited to introduce cultivated meat to the pet world.
‘Just two years ago this felt like a moon shot. Today we take off.
‘It’s a giant leap forward – toward a significant market for meat which is healthy, sustainable and kind to our planet and other animals.’
A limited-release of the treats are now on sale at Pets at Home Brentford.
A 50g pack of Chick Bites is priced at £3.49, which is considerably more expensive than options from rivals.
For example, on Pets At Home’s website, The Deli Dog Chicken Bites with Apple Dog Treats are £3.49 for a 100g pack, while Lily’s Kitchen Chomp Away Chicken Bites Dog Treats are £3.99 for a 70g pack.
Despite this, Pets at Home hopes the lab-grown treats will appeal to environmentally conscious dog owners.
Anja Madsen, Chief Operating Officer, Pets at Home said: ‘At Pets at Home, we’re guided by our purpose to create a better world for pets and the people who love them, and that includes looking after our planet.
‘We’re also always looking to the future of pet care, and to make sure we’re developing and providing the products that matter to our customers.’
Just 750 packs are initially available, although Meatly hopes to make its product more widely available soon.
‘We’re just getting started. Next we’ll scale our production and make products more widely available to consumers,’ Mr Ensor added.
