Topic: Had a reply from Iams (Not sure which thread this should added onto!) (Read 19772 times)

Skully · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2010, 10:10:50 AM »

The sad reality is that most of the products we buy, or the ingredients of those products, have been animal tested somewhere down the line. All the drugs we take or give our pets have been animal tested.

I trained as a microbiologist, way back when, and when I was working and part time studying for a degree lots of the other people on the course worked in labs that used animals and the stories I heard about what happens in the labs just made me gag, and these were procedures that had been passed as ok things for these labs to do. These were not cases of abuse, these were day to day tests that happened to rats, cats, rabbits, mice, dogs, monkeys, and a whole ream of other species. I was gobsmacked at what was and wasn't permitted and in the UK the labs are pretty well regulated and inspected, in may other countries, that these large global companies pay to have the tests done in, have much slacker rules of what is or isn't acceptable to do.

Yes P&G have been seen caught with their pants down many times, but in truth they are not alone. Loads of other companies are just as bad. Also you can't always trust the "not tested on animals" logo as all that means it that the complete product in the packaging hasn't been animal tested, it does not mean that ingredient in the product weren't tested at some time on animals. It's a massive mine field. The best you can do is try and live as ethically as you can and try not to use products that you know come from a company that has a track record of animal abuse.

If you really are against animal testing in all forms, then I politely suggest you don't use commercially made pet food, as they will all have had some kind of animal tests done on them, even if it is just taste tests with animals kept in catteries. There are mega bucks involved in the selling of pet food and these companies will not risk expensive law suits against them by releasing a pet food onto the market without testing them. Sorry to say, but it is true, thousands of animals have been used in lab tests to make the biscuits, canned food, pouches and treats that we have been feeding our pets. It is up to each persons own individual conscience to decide what they feel is an acceptable level of testing and what isn't.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #20 on:** October 11, 2009, 10:57:59 AM »

Not sure if Stardrops can be used around animals.

Fire Fox · « **Reply #19 on:** October 10, 2009, 20:13:15 PM »

A really good reasonably priced multi-purpose cleaning product is Stardrops, it's raved about over on MoneySavingExpert. Cheapest in Wilkos and Home Bargains.

crafty_emmy · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2009, 19:32:56 PM »

I belive asda own brad is actually made by iams

tortie · « **Reply #17 on:** August 19, 2009, 19:33:21 PM »

i saw undercover footage once, a few years ago......... what they did to the beagles made me weep for weeks, force feeding them, listening to the poor babies screaming ect, i will never buy anything by proctor and gamle and will certainly never recomend iams, maybe things have improved since then, but i still wont buy from them on princible

Marcia · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2009, 14:22:08 PM »

Welcome Mark. The first step is admitting your problem which you have done. Well done

Mark · « **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2009, 14:17:16 PM »

I'll have to try them but I was pleasantly surprised with the smell of Asda ones - really fresh that even with comfort, you can still smell the washing powder over it

- I am sad I know but I love Fairy non-bio tabs but obviously stopped buying them. I used to love Sainsbury's Novon but they changed it when they stopped using the name Novon. Then I bought Tesco as it smelt a bit like bubble gum but really nice - then they changed that as well

My name is mark and I am a washing powder addict

Marcia · « **Reply #14 on:** April 22, 2009, 20:11:10 PM »

I bought my last lot of washing tabs from morrisons and they smelt pretty good

Mark · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2009, 18:14:18 PM »

Trouble is, I struggle to find things that smell as nice or work as well

- I used to love green flash and the blue Flash bathroom cleaner. Also Yellow lenor. Asda clothes washing tabs are the nicest smell though

Marcia · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2009, 14:50:39 PM »

Quote from: Mark on April 20, 2009, 11:03:24 AM

Willow is prone to throwing up and favours carpeted areas - when it was Iams, unless it was cleaned up straight away, it left a permanent stain

Anyway, I think Iams are busy doing damage limitation. It looks as if they have lost vet support. I personally haven't seen it sold in any vets for a long time. I wouldn't buy it to be on the safe side - as well as the testing stories, I also heard that vets were blaming it for UTIs.

In fact, I never knowingly buy any P&G products - it was difficult as I found most of my cleaning products were P&G and have I never found any replacements I like that much.

Same here. We've stopped using P&G products and it is difficult to find alternative cleaning products, we've had to buy morrisons and co-op own brands

Janeyk · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2009, 09:00:33 AM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on April 11, 2009, 19:25:38 PM

Apart from small independant brands that use customer home testing all big companies have food trial buildings or pay smaller catteries to trial the food. Its not just Iams keeping cats in purpose built catteries, these are actually at the better end of the scale, the small catteries that trial dont get inspected and the cats dont have luxury purpose built accomodation

Purina, waltham etc will all have trial pens. They are telling the truth as they do rehome some but they come with their baggage a friend of mine worked with some who were around 9yrs old and had never experienced a home environment

It's so sad to hear that, I don't buy Iams because of what I know but I didn't know about the others

Mark · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2009, 11:03:24 AM »

Willow is prone to throwing up and favours carpeted areas

- when it was Iams, unless it was cleaned up straight away, it left a permanent stain

Anyway, I think Iams are busy doing damage limitation. It looks as if they have lost vet support. I personally haven't seen it sold in any vets for a long time. I wouldn't buy it to be on the safe side - as well as the testing stories, I also heard that vets were blaming it for UTIs.

In fact, I never knowingly buy any P&G products - it was difficult as I found most of my cleaning products were P&G and have I never found any replacements I like that much.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2009, 19:25:38 PM »

Apart from small independant brands that use customer home testing all big companies have food trial buildings or pay smaller catteries to trial the food. Its not just Iams keeping cats in purpose built catteries, these are actually at the better end of the scale, the small catteries that trial dont get inspected and the cats dont have luxury purpose built accomodation

Purina, waltham etc will all have trial pens. They are telling the truth as they do rehome some but they come with their baggage

a friend of mine worked with some who were around 9yrs old and had never experienced a home environment

woodlandcats · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2009, 10:09:43 AM »

Never smoke without fire, but sometimes the smoke becomes way too much.
If we knew just a little of everything we couldn't buy anything anymore.
My son kind of forces me to buy fair trade bananas, but they taste like cardboard

So I buy Chiquita and remove the label

Ela · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2009, 09:19:37 AM »

Although we only feed cats now Iams when some is donated in one of our collection bins, I have to say that for many years, certainly over ten numerous of our cats especially long term were fed only Iams and none ever went on to get any suggested related illness. I also know of many cats who are privately owner and for many years have only been fed Iams and they too are healthy and not suffered from said related illness. Casting aside all the againsts I feel I have to be fair and post this.

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2009, 09:08:56 AM »

Quote from: Desley (booktigger) on April 11, 2009, 08:39:30 AM

I still wont feed it, however much they give them a stimulating environment, the fact is they spend however long in that kind of environment rather than a home environment - very few animals would stay in a true shelter environment that long. And, for the price of Iams, you can get food with better ingredients and still have change.

Totally agree! I don't feed the food anyway because I am convinced that it was one of the contributers to Layla's FLUTD as are some other people I know who's cats have it. Just interesting to see what they have to say for themselves

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2009, 08:39:30 AM »

I still wont feed it, however much they give them a stimulating environment, the fact is they spend however long in that kind of environment rather than a home environment - very few animals would stay in a true shelter environment that long. And, for the price of Iams, you can get food with better ingredients and still have change.

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2009, 20:41:50 PM »

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iams_cruelty
http://www.uncaged.co.uk/pg.htm

Iams are renowned for doing horrible animals testing. I thought things had got a lot better in recent years since there was a big expose but am not so sure now. They are owned by Proctor and Gamble. The above links will give you a better idea but there are sooo many posts on here also if you search.

Robbo · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2009, 20:36:38 PM »

im lost....can some one shorted it down for me lol what was the concern?

thanks

dabs · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2009, 20:18:17 PM »

There have been sp many horror stories on the net about Iams, how companion animals are force fed to then killed to look at issues regarding the liver and kidneys etc. There is usually no smoke without fire and I wonder what the animail rights groups stance on this reply would be.

Apart from which at what age do the retire them and where do they find homes for them all. Is there not a USA arm to this as well?

I don't feed the stuff on principal and I tell any prospective adoptees why I will not feed it, I think it would take slightly more to convince me. Who would the animal rights concentrate on someone like Iams, when Hills are also supposed to test on animals as well?

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2009, 15:03:34 PM »

I can't find the thread but i clicked a link to contact Iams to express my concern... (I'm sure the link was something like 'boycott Proctor and Gamble' I got a reply:

Thank you for contacting us.

Unfortunately, there is highly inaccurate and misleading information circulating on the Internet regarding our feeding studies, and I’m glad you’ve given me the opportunity to provide you with the facts. We too are passionate about cats and dogs, with a deep commitment to their health and welfare.

We are accountable for making sure that our products are wholesome, and that consumers can feed them with confidence. Instead of contracting other companies to conduct our feeding studies, we choose to conduct such studies in the homes of our employee families. Today, over 600 employee families participate in our in-home testing program.

Even though the vast majority of our studies are conducted in an in-home setting, there are some studies that require in-depth data gathering in a more controlled environment. We do this type of feeding study in our company-owned Pet Health and Nutrition Center. These studies follow our industry leading research protocol and are the veterinary equivalent of nutritional or medical studies acceptable on people. The studies are monitored by our own staff of veterinarians, behaviorists and independent experts.

Our Pet Health and Nutrition Center is a state-of-the-art facility. Our dogs and cats live in a cageless environment, receiving proper socialization in an enriched setting.

Because dogs are pack animals, our dogs are housed with a companion. Each kennel has a doggie-door that takes them to an outside run, giving them lots of room for running and playing. Each dog is provided with his or her own toys (rotated on a regular basis) and their very own comfortable bed to sleep on. There is also a dog park adjacent to the kennels where the dogs play and interact each day in play groups.

Our cats are housed in compatible social groups. Each room is furnished with beds, toys (to stimulate play) and several perches, which allow our cats to observe things from a higher viewpoint. Each cat room also has a very large window with a platform where our cats can lay in the sun or watch the birds feeding at the outside bird feeders.

All of our dogs and cats reach a point in their life when it’s time to leave the Pet Health and Nutrition Center. That is when they are either adopted into a home or placed into our retirement facility. Either way, they will live out their lives in comfort with good food, good companionship, and good veterinary care.

In 2007 we had several members of the news media tour our facility. Their reports are available at:

http://www.iamstruth.com/iamstruth/en_US/jhtmls/landing/IT_Landing_Page.jhtml?li=en_US&pti=PP

If you are interested in reading more, please visit www.IamsTruth.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message. If you need further information or have specific questions, please contact us at 800-525-4267. We’re very happy to speak with you about this very important issue.

Sincerely,

Katie

Iams Pet Care Team Member

I think it makes interesting reading but I just don't know what's true and what's not.

Author Topic: Had a reply from Iams (Not sure which thread this should added onto!) (Read 19772 times)