Process report - deciding direction and making informed decisions

Where we came from

Our initial start up idea was to create a pet food product focused on ethically sourced meat that was processed into treats. During our research into raw materials we accepted the advice from hunting industry professionals to steer clear of relying on meat from larger game animals such as deer, boar and goat, as these animals are already in high demand. Similarly, we discovered the potential taboo of possums as a meat source due to their association with TB. Upon identifying smaller game that was unlikely to be affected by TB and can be found in areas that were easily accessible we identified Rabbit, Hare and Wild Goose as the most economical pests to concentrate on. Furthermore, these animals can fetch a higher return as they are on the market for human consumption.

Addressing the feedback of limiting ourselves with a partial product line we decided not to immediately invest in a complete pet food business but rather focus on supplying the raw materials to manufacturers that already existed.

This decision also came with the need to reassess our values and, if considering a social enterprise, negotiate how our profits were best spent while prioritizing putting money aside to expand our enterprise.

Our conclusion was that by fostering an industry that valued our pests as resources we were effectively acting indirectly of the better interest of those opposed to 1080 and the treatment of the animals targeted by 1080 poison.