Nutria, we describe it at our house as "the other gray meat". Yes, I've eaten it and yes I found it to be quite tasty and no I didn't know I was eating it until after I swallowed it. While many South Louisiana residents do have a great recipe or two for nutria one Baton Rouge company is banking on the orange toothed rodents becoming the next big thing in dog treats.

Marsh Dog, a company out of Baton Rouge was founded about seven years ago but has been on a bit of hiatus as of late. Officials with the company say the time off was spent planning a launch and national distribution of dog treats made from the swamp-dwelling nutria.

In a story reported by the Louisiana Radio Network, Marsh Dog's owner Veni Harlan suggested that his company's plans could benefit the state in more ways than economical.

Every nutria that you take out of the environment helps the climate, helps the habitat, helps, species, and help’s coastal erosion.

That's pretty impressive for a dog treat if you ask me.

Harlan went on to say that the company is still working out how much nutria meat would be needed and just how to get that meat harvested to be processed. There will also be a learning curve of educating people outside of the Gulf South as to what nutria really are.

Before going hiatus Harlan said his specialty dog treats were sold in about 50 specialty pet shops across the state.

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