IAMS!? animal rights petition

I was going through the recent petitions on the Internet, and found this one. I was not aware of this! I remember something about IAMS recently, but it did not apply to this. I don't know if it is illegal to paste the petition onto here. I hope not. If it is, please let me know. It was at the site:

http://www.petitionpetition.com/cgi/...on.cgi?id=1983

Read Petition:
IAMS - The Suffering Behind the Science Read Petition
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Link To Petition


Body of Petition:
You would think a pet food company would NOT cut up, make sick, and kill innocent animals, right? Think again.

Uncaged Campaigns of the United Kingdom have carried out another shocking expose of the vivisection industry. This time, the spotlight of truth has been turned on pet food company IAMS, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble since 1999. IAMS has been performing painful and deadly experiments on dogs and cats for several years.

Buried in obscure scientific publications are the details of experiments on at least 460 cats and dogs supported by the IAMS company - cats and dogs just like our cherished companions. These experiments were not designed to help the animals involved. These innocent victims were simply used as disposable objects - a means to an end. Behind the corporate PR lies a painful reality...

28 female cats had their abdomens cut open and solution injected repeatedly into their bowels. (Nutrition Research: 1319-1328, September 2000)

24 young dogs were given kidney failure by the removal of one kidney and the damaging of the other. All the dogs were killed after being fed an experimental diet and their kidneys analysed. (American Journal of Veterinary Research: 1357-1365, August 1991)

18 young Great Danes were fed on differing diets and at eighteen months of age their bones from their front and back right legs were cut out and then stressed until they broke. Pigs were also used in similar experiments. (Proceedings of 1998 IAMS Nutrition Symposium: 29-40)

18 beagle puppies were dosed with a drug that damaged their kidneys. Blood samples were taken repeatedly and urine collected via a tube inserted into the puppies' bladders via their penises. All the dogs were killed and their kidneys' analysed. (American Journal of Veterinary Research: 948-956, June 1996)
Additional information regarding the horrors done to animals supported by IAMS can be found at this Web Site: http://www.uncaged.co.uk/iams.htm

Procter & Gamble's continued practice of animal testing is appalling and completely unjustifiable.

Stop the exploitation of animals in vivisection. We will continue to support a boycott of IAMS pet products until the company introduces a permanent ban on all animal testing.




Recipients:
Durk Jager, CEO, Procter & Gamble

Sponsor of Petition:
Pawprints and Purrs aka www.sniksnak.com - Susie Bachman

Geographic Scope of Petition:
World

Launch Date:
06/26/2001

Ending Date:
09/26/2001
I was going through the recent petitions on the Internet, and found this one. I was not aware of this! I remember something about IAMS recently, but it did not apply to this. I don't know if it is illegal to paste the petition onto here. I hope not. If it is, please let me know. It was at the site:

That's sickening!! I will definately not buy anything from Iams. And I signed the petition.Those poor animals!! It broke my hart about the beagle pups. I had one for 13 yrs. that we put to sleep 1 1/2 yrs. ago. So Sad.

http://www.uncaged.co.uk/iams.htm

Definitely check out this site. Gosh, it is pretty scary. And it has even more links about it. This makes me sick. And in the last year, we had started IAMS, though sliding away from it after reading many of your recommendations, but now, I feel sick to my stomach about it. Read this site.

This is apalling! I've written to Iams about it and suggested that they post a reply here. I wonder if they will - can't see what much they can say?

I can see that they want to try their products on sick animals, but there are enough poor sick cats and dogs in the shelters. They can use them as subjects and use other tests that do not involve killing and torturing them! I guess that would be more expensive, but I think it would be less expensive then losing so many clients as they're about to!

Hi all,

I know this isn't an animal rights forum but I often see mention here of Iams, which certainly has a good reputation as a pet food, but their animal testing methods may leave more than a little to be desired, and this was a real surprise to me, in fact it was a shock. It's all detailed in a thread on the About.com cats forum http://forums.about.com/ab-cats/messages?msg=3227.1 If this link doesn't work the site is listed under the links section right here on TheCatSite, then click on Forums.

Mary

I think there's more info in the SOS forum on this site too, if you are intersted. This is horrible, and we just got a kiten who has been fed IAMS. Guess we'll have to start weaning him off that food. Eukaneuba (sp?) is an IAMS food also.

Yes, there's a thread about this in SOS, so I'll be merging both threads there.

This just makes me wannnna... I signed the petition!!!

That is sicking want IAMS is doing.

I signed.

Robin

I read this... showed my boyfriend. Signed the petition... and forwarded it to my mother. She'll also sign it. I also asked that she pass it on to her friends. This has got to be stopped. I'm also gonna mention something to my vet about it.. and see how they feel. Hopefully they won't reccommend anyone use that pet food. I asked her what food was good to put my babies on.. she said IAMS or Science Diet. I was using IAMS. I'm now switching to Science Diet.


-Cass

Okay, I've written to Iams and here is their reply. I am not defending them in anyway - make what you will of this:

Dear Anne:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We appreciate you giving us the
opportunity to clarify the issues regarding our research. Please take a few
minutes to review the facts about dogs and cats in research:

The Iams Company has made major advances in nutritional health benefits for
millions of dogs and cats world-wide. In our efforts to develop nutritional
health advances, we sponsored research world-wide at veterinary schools and
universities. This research has answered vital questions about animal health.
Based on those answers, we have been able to make many discoveries including
nutritional advances in:

* Canine/feline kidney disease, which resulted in our specific veterinary
diets, available only by prescription. These diets make a significant difference
in the lives of cats and dogs with renal failure, a chronic and fatal illness
that affects 15% of dogs and 25% of cats.
* Skeletal development, which makes a big difference for large breed dogs,
where painful and debilitating developmental bone problems can occur in up to
40% of puppies.
* Skin and coat, which provides nutritional support for addressing
sensitive skin problems where pharmaceutical intervention may be the only
alternative.
* Immune system, where antioxidants provide a significant impact on young
and senior dogs and cats.

Iams openly publishes our findings so that other researchers can help improve
the health and well being of dogs and cats without repeating research studies.
Iams research has been presented, published, and part of the public record for
the past 12 years. Other leading petfood companies have also sponsored studies
over the years.

The Iams Nutrition Symposia regularly brings together experts from 80
universities and 136 veterinary hospitals, from more than 40 countries who then
return home to apply the knowledge in their own practices.
All of our feeding studies have had to meet very specific criteria:

* The results must help veterinarians and pet owners to nutritionally
manage important pet health conditions and the benefits to dogs and cats
worldwide must be genuine.
* The studies must be unique, relevant and truly pioneering - in other
words, no existing research could answer the questions raised.
* The care of animals is of paramount importance, and animal well being is
always our top priority.

The Iams Company policy on the development of pet food is based on the following
fundamentals: The Iams Company is committed to improving the health and well
being of cats and dogs through the development of superior nutrition.

The Iams Company will not participate in any study requiring the euthanasia of
cats or dogs, nor will we conduct the veterinary equivalent of any tests on cats
or dogs, which is not acceptable in nutritional or medical studies in people.

Our efforts have always been guided by a strict code of ethics that meets or
exceeds the standards of the relevant legislation, e.g., Animal Welfare Act of
the US, the US Department of Agriculture and Directive 86/609/EEC of the
European Union.

This policy applies to all Iams research whether conducted by our scientists or
others.

At Iams, we stand behind our research and our 55-year track record of enhancing
the well being of dogs and cats by providing premium quality nutrition. We are
proud that our science has been available and used by others and that we have
led breakthroughs in companion animal health.

The Iams Company has recently received support from several independent,
third-party organizations. Click to see statements from:
http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/ASPCA.html
<http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/ASPCA.html> - American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AVMA.html
<http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AVMA.html> - American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA)
http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AVMA2.html
<http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AVMA2.html> - American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA)
http://www.americankennelclub.com/news/iamsrelease.cfm
<http://www.americankennelclub.com/news/iamsrelease.cfm> - The American Kennel
Club (AKC)
http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AAHA.html
<http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AAHA.html> - American Animal Hospital
Association (AAHA)
http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AMC.html <http://www.iams.com/AboutIams/AMC.html>
- The Animal Medical Center (AMC)

Again, thank you for taking the time to explore the facts. If you have
additional questions, please contact us at 800-525-4267 Monday through Friday
from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sincerely,
Nicole, Consumer Relations
The Iams Company