SHAH ALAM: The country's first sustainable dog food with the use of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as an alternative protein source will be developed soon.
Pet World Nutritions Sdn Bhd, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Selangor (SPCA Selangor) and Nutrition Technologies embarked on a strategic partnership today with the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Pet World Nutritions chief executive officer PY Choy said the agreement also included efforts to educate the public on the benefits of BSFL in supporting sustainable living for strays.
He said nutritious food played an important role in keeping the pets healthy, which helped prolong their lifespan.
"In the past, cats lived for about seven to 10 years. Today, many of them could live up to 15 years or more if they are healthy.
"We also work in animal welfare in ensuring that the strays received nutritious food, while educating the society to provide better care for the animals," he told reporters at Pet World Nutritions headquarters today.
He said Malaysia produces about 38,000 tonnes of waste daily, with half of them being food waste.
He said the use of BSFL as a protein source in pet food could help address this problem, as its production utilised pre-consumed food waste and has a higher production rate compared to soybean farms.
"We are honoured to have the full support of SPCA Selangor and Nutrition Technologies in embarking in this meaningful sustainable pet food project, and for a more sustainable future together," he added.
The MoU was jointly signed by SPCA Selangor chairman Christine Chin and Nutrition Technologies co-founder and co-CEO Nick Piggott.
Chin said SPCA Selangor also embarked on promoting plant-based advocacy to encourage Malaysians to reduce meat consumption for their pets.
"We want to give the best nutrition to our pets to keep them healthy. The inclusion of BSFL in pet food is indeed a giant step which is in line with our mission to build a more sustainable environment."
BSFL is rich in protein and lipids. This source of protein also has a lower environmental impact in the farming and harvesting process.
Piggot said the use of BSFL incorporated in pet food and feed mix was relatively new in Malaysia.