Iams response:
Thank you very much for taking the time to forward the link to this horrible web
site. It positively sickens me, and is a gross misrepresentation of The Iams
Company and the research we have conducted! We sincerely appreciate loyal
customers like you who make the effort to investigate the truth about these
horrible accusations. Uncaged Campaigns is an animal rights group in the UK
that has connections with a tabloid in London that "broke" this story on Sunday.
Here is our official response:
An article published by a British tabloid newspaper (Sunday
Express, "Pet Food Cruelty," May 27) contained inaccurate and misleading
information about Iams nutritional studies. The Iams Company is appalled by
these false allegations of animal cruelty.
More than two years ago - well before our acquisition by Procter
& Gamble (P&G) - The Iams Company independently made a firm and binding decision
that we would not consider or sponsor any studies that required the euthanasia
of dogs and cats. We determined that we could continue to make crucial health
advancements without such studies because certain key findings had already been
made, and new alternative research methods had been developed (for example,
advances in MRI technology can now be used to examine the condition of bones and
joints without using invasive procedures).
Early in our efforts to develop nutritional innovations, we
sponsored university and veterinary school research in North America that
identified important questions. The answers to those questions could
potentially save and enhance the lives of millions of dogs and cats, but could
only be determined through studies requiring euthanasia. We exhausted all other
alternatives and made choiceful decisions in our research methodology. In those
few instances, researchers used the minimum number of animals possible, and the
results have benefited dogs and cats world-wide.
For example, our studies of canine and feline kidney disease - a
chronic and fatal illness affecting millions of pets - resulted in new renal
diets that make a significant difference in the lives of dogs and cats with
chronic renal failure. Our research into healthy skeletal development has made
a big difference for large breed dogs, where painful and debilitating
developmental bone problems can occur in up to 40% of puppies.
Despite these facts, the story in the Sunday Express portrayed
our published research findings in a sensational, negative, and misleading way.
The article repeatedly described ordinary veterinary health practices in
unnecessarily horrific terms. For example:
* A skin biopsy - which is a common diagnostic test in both human and
veterinary medicine - was described in the article as "giving the animal chest
wounds."
* Giving an animal a routine vaccination was described as "injecting with
live virus vaccines."
Clearly, this type of language is deceptive and
counterproductive.
Other leading pet food companies sponsor or have sponsored
similar studies to those undertaken by our company. Unlike most of our
competitors, Iams openly presents and publishes our findings (for example,
veterinary conferences, peer-reviewed veterinary journals) so that other
researchers can help improve the health and well-being of dogs and cats, without
repeating research projects.
This raises an important question: If our research has been
presented, published and part of public record for more than ten years - and if
other leading pet food companies sponsor similar studies -- why was The Iams
Company singled out now?
To answer that question, it is important to consider the source
of the allegations: This story appears to have been sparked by Uncaged
Campaigns, a UK-based animal activist organization that has long called for
boycotts of P&G products.
To sum up, our research efforts have always been guided by a
strict code of ethics that exceeds the highest standards established by the
Animal Welfare Act of the US and the US Department of Agriculture. Today, and
in the past, all of our feeding studies have been required to meet very specific
criteria, namely:
* The care of animals is of paramount importance, and animal well-being is
always our top priority.
* The results must help veterinarians and pet owners nutritionally manage
important pet health conditions and give real benefits to dogs and cats
world-wide.
* The studies must be unique, relevant, and truly pioneering - in other
words, no existing research could answer the questions raised.
At Iams, we stand behind our research, and are proud of our
55-year track record of enhancing the well-being of dogs and cats by providing
world-class quality foods. That is our mission, one that we live by every day
in every corner of the company, starting with our Research and Development.
The negative Iams information that is flowing through the Internet right now is
a distorted view of our research. Unfortunately, this type of sensationalism is
at the expense of a company made up of people that are passionate about their
dogs and cats, as well as their company's mission (to enhance the well being of
dogs and cats by providing world-class, quality foods). I wish I could share
with you all the thousands of contacts we've had from dog and cat owners
reporting on the impact our foods have had on their pets' health. My own dog
has experienced terrible allergies that were greatly soothed by feeding her a
Eukanuba Veterinary Diet.