A pet food company is on the hunt for someone to taste test its new dog food, and is willing to pay them a huge sum for the pleasure.
You may have wondered what your dog’s food tastes like. Hell, you may have even had a cheeky nibble in the past. They say that curiosity killed the cat, after all, but everyone forgets the other half of the saying – that satisfaction brought it back.
Fun story – I once accidentally ate one of my dog’s peanut butter cookies, having mistaken it for a focaccia crisp. It actually wasn’t that bad. So as bizarre as this is, I would probably give it a go.
£5,000 is certainly enough to sway me. Oh, and the dog food is all vegan, so you’re not going to find any cheap and nasty animal by-products in there.
To get that £5,000, the successful dog food taster will be required to eat an all-vegan dog food diet for five days.
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They’ll also be expected to keep a daily record of their experience, reporting back – not just on the food’s taste, but also on their mood, energy levels, and bowel movements.
The dog food, created by company OMNI, is entirely plant-based and made up of a mix of sweet potatoes, lentils, brown rice, pumpkin, blueberries, peas and cranberries. It actually sounds pretty tasty.
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The founders have eaten it themselves, and they’re super proud of using human-grade ingredients that are not just ‘good enough’ but actually desirable.
Shiv Sivakumar, co-founder of OMNI, said: “OMNI is a clean label, meaning that it doesn’t have any mysterious ingredients.
“While all dog food has to use human grade ingredients by law, many brands use cheap animal by-products and unwanted leftovers that humans would definitely not want to eat themselves given the choice.
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“We firmly believe that OMNI is good enough for even humans to eat, and more importantly enjoy, that we’re going to put our money where our mouth is.
Image: Omni Pet Food
“We decided to recruit a human taste tester to prove just how tasty and healthy plant-based dog food can be.
“Me and the other founder of OMNI would even eat our products – and we’re sure many other dog food brand producers wouldn’t.
“So, if you are looking to try out a new diet change and earn a little extra on the side, please sign up!”
The successful taste tester will have access to a registered dietician and will be sent a number of recipes over the week. Expenses will be covered on the food, and once the five days of testing is complete the £5,000 payment will be made.
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If you’d like to apply, you can do so here before 31 May. Applicants must be over the age of 18 and live in the UK.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Georgina Pellant -
20th May 2022 
