Louisiana’s Nutria-Made Pet Treat Company Shuts Down

Well, I guess we have to chalk one up in the win column again for the nutria. The orange teethed rodents which garner a lot of the blame for Louisiana's coastal erosion have again avoided a plan that was to be their undoing. The makers of Marsh Dog brand pet treats had created a pet treat made from the unwanted critters and was poised to take the idea on a national scale, then came the coronavirus pandemic, and now it looks as if the company is shutting down. 

Marsh Dog pet treats were created as an alternative for pets that have allergies to other kinds of meats and ingredients. The creator of Marsh Dog, Hansel Harlan, said he developed the pet treats after his own pet developed allergies to other mainstream treats. Harlan and his sister Veni created the company and the treats in their own home kitchen back in 2012.

Things were really looking up for the company during 2019. They had just signed a deal with a national pet food company and had planned on spending 2020 visiting as many trade shows as they could in hopes of getting their product into other markets across the country. The coronavirus pandemic squelched those plans and last week the company made the decision to close down.

While the decision to close the business is sad for the Harlan's it's also pretty bad news for Louisiana. Environmental officials say the company was educating people around the world about nutria and the damage the rodents inflict on coastal habitats like those found in Louisiana. Hansel Harlan of Marsh Dog believes his company was responsible for removing tens of thousands of the unwanted pests from Louisiana's marshes over the past three years.

It's estimated that more than 13,700 acres of coastal marsh were damaged by nutria in the state last year. So any business that would make the eradication of such a pest a plausible idea will certainly be missed in a state like Louisiana who faces significant land loss from coastal erosion each day.

Marsh Dog has announced that they are selling off their remaining stock on the company's website. Many of the products have been discounted. And, if you're wanting to buy a company that makes pretty good pet treats and can save Louisiana's coast, the Hansel's say they'll entertain your offer.

By the way, here's some important information for pet lovers everywhere.