Iams cruelty

[FuzzButtLover]

I think that for them to really make a difference they need to get a whole lot of people dressed up in those jail beagle costums and put them in a whole lot of cages. Instead of just one cage a by passer will just look and walk on, but with a whole lot of them in one place they have to look, walk, look, walk and see the actual amount of beagles being harmed. That is just something I thought for the first time I saw the pic.s in the "Demo Scrapbook"

 

[FuzzButtLover]

FuzzButtLover, Your cat may have an urinary tract or bladder infection. You should take it to a vet as soon as possible. They will probably ask for an urine sample.

She doesn't have one, she has been doing this for the past 3 years and now my dad is threatening to get rid of her. We have taken her to the vet numerous times since it started. The first time she got antibiotics (didn't work), now we don't have any medical problem that could be wrong with her, except for the food?

 

[FuzzButtLover]

Ok, I am confused, why were the weirdos cutting parts of the poor dogs leg mucsle off then lying them on the floor? This doesn't help a dog become happier and healthier.

 

[PurplePoe]

For the person who asked about switching to Eukanuba, that is also a no-no. You see both IAMs and Eukanuba are owned and produced by Proctor and Gamble, so it would be the same evil.

I go to a school that has a veterinary program, and Proctor & Gamble and Nestle (who owns Purina) pump a lot of money into these schools so that graduating vets (who really don't know any better) will recommend these products to their clients. For example, many vets will push the "veterinary diets" that are ailment specific. When in fact, in many instances, all a pet owner needs to do is increase the quality of their previous food and feed a super-premium brand. It truly is amazing what a SP food will do for a cat with urinary tract problems over a grocery-store, and even veterinary, brands.

I've helped a lot of people switch to SP Brands and the ones that seem to work the best for people are: Eagle Pack (probably one of the more cost-effective), Wellness (though some dogs had problems with their new formula), Innova, California Natural, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance, Nature's Variety, Merrick (especially the canned diets), Solid Gold, and Azima (sp?)

 

[Carissa]

I have a beagle that looks a whole lot like those beagles being tourtured, now I feel like I am tourtering him by feeding him that food

I felt the same way when I found out about Iams. Those kind of tests on any animal are terrible to see but when you can see your own pet in the eyes of those dogs it really affects you. It would be selfish to think that my beagle is somehow more important than the test beagles just because he is loved.

I switched to Natural Balance Duck & Potato almost a year ago when we thought that my poodle mix, Sophie, might be allergic to chicken and both my dogs have never been happier. My beagle struggles with his weight, as most beagles do, and I used to have to cut back on his food and walk him like crazy just to maintain his weight but since switching to Natural Balance it's very easy to keep him at his healthy weight even in winter when we don't walk as much. The extra cost of a good dog food is well worth in the long run.

 

[MattysMom]

When I was in college I did my last big speech in public speaking class on The socil reasons why we should try harder to stop animal cruelty and i researched Iams and there horrible methods before i decided to go with the social reasons. Its unexcusable.

 

[SoCalCavies]

I got a response from Iams via email, regarding the letters I sent. Of course they claim to love animals, and that they are just getting bad press, etc...and how all the animals they test are treated humanely.

Please!!

Just the fact alone that they "test" is sickening. Why test ANYTHING alive? There are plenty of tests that have already been conducted on nutritional values, etc. Is is completely unnecessary and abhorrent.

PurplePoe: Great post. Thank you for your insight!

PS. No doubt about it - Proctor & Gamble are the worst!

 

[FuzzButtLover]

How am I supposed to tell my neighbors about this, aimal lover (my friend) whos mom works at P&G? But they send home samples and have their dogs test it first (while in making). Again, this has to stop though, why do they do this, the person who recieved the message probably didn't know, just like I am sure my neighbor doesn't know.

 

[SoCalCavies]

How am I supposed to tell my neighbors about this...

I was thinking about you, actually - wondering the same thing. Since I don't personally know them, it's hard for me to offer any suggestions, but I would at least broach the subject. Say something like, "You do know the bad publicity P&G has gotten for their animal testing practices, right?" See how they react. (I guarantee they will defend them though. Be prepared. Organizations like that usually sell their employees a load of crap, too, and keep them in the dark about what really goes on.)

If they react badly, you might have to be more creative. If they react as though they'd like to know more, you could do some research & get the knowledge on it. God knows PETA has a LOT of info on them, since P&G was one of their biggest targets for a long time. I still don't buy ANY of their products to this day. It just made me so sick & disturbed, once I learned more about them.

Anyway, best of luck on that! I really hope you mention it to them. They should know what they are supporting.

 

[piggly wiggly]

I also got a response to my email. It came with video of dogs running and playing, and cats being loved. Ya like that is of the real facilities.

 

[SoCalCavies]

I just sent a response to this one rep. She actually thinks that if you give a dog a bed, a buddy, and a toy, that that makes up for the chemicals you're feeding it in the meantime that makes it sick.

Ugggh.

It's so frustrating talking to these idiots. I hope they all come back to earth as the dogs they enslave! (ha ha)

 

[cavyowner2007]

Animal testing happens everyday. Its very sad, but very true. Expecially in dogs, monkeys, rats, and mice. They give them cancer, they give them all types of diseases, they also test products that us women and men use everyday on animals.

If you buy a product make sure it says on the back *Has not been used on animals* Hair products and skin products are the big ones. Also trying out new fur. Its torture. Its sick to think about it. I saw pictures of dogs, cats, monkeys, and mice - its just way to hard to think about. The conditions were horrible, the dogs and monkeys were covered in blood and poo. They - sigh, were.. well.. very.. you know.

Look up pictures of ANIMAL TESTING. You will see what im talking about. Don't look at the pictures of happy dogs. Thats the before - look for the afters.

 

[piggly wiggly]

SOCAlCAVIEs, was the rep's name Tina. That is who sent my response, I got told the same thing as you. They have comfy beds, toys, yada yada.

 

[FuzzButtLover]

I told my friend already, her mom doesn't work in the animal department so that is good. A bad thing though, is they probably get discounts on food so they probably won't switch foods and her mom and I aren't exactly friends. Now we'll just see what happens, but I doubt she will tell her mom.

 

[PurplePoe]

Well, besides the whole animal testing thing, the ingredients in IAMs and Eukanuba are nothing but garbage and carcinogens. Realistically, what one "saves" by buying this slop is often spent on the vet visits that are needed to fix what they do to the pet in the long run.

Poe

 

[FuzzButtLover]

Good point PruplePoe, now my parents don't have an excuse, thanks!

 

[crazywiggy]

I don't want to get too much into this debate, but there are a couple of points I want to make....

I also got a response to my email. It came with video of dogs running and playing, and cats being loved. Ya like that is of the real facilities.

You'd be surprised, not all labs are like the ones in the PETA vids.

Look up pictures of ANIMAL TESTING. You will see what im talking about. Don't look at the pictures of happy dogs. Thats the before - look for the afters.

If you want to make an informed decision you need to look at both and make your mind up from there. Ignoring the nice pictures won't make them go away, any more than ignoring the nasty ones will.
A lot of "animal testing" isn't actually as bad as people assume, in many cases you wouldn't know the difference between an animal on test and a normal healthy one. Seeing as this thread is about Iams - i,e, making better pet food - I would think that most of their testing is fairly tame.

I told my friend already, her mom doesn't work in the animal department so that is good.

Just out of curiosity what difference does it make? Working in the animal department wouldn't automatically make her some sort of monster.

I know nobody is going to like me saying any of this, but please just consider looking at both sides of the story before jumping to conclusions.

 

[PurplePoe]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by both sides of the issue of experimentation. Yeah, some labs are quite clean, hunkey-dorie, and chock-full of environmental enrichments but if you are a person against animal experimentation they are still labs. I often do not buy into PETA's representation of animal experimentation, however IAMs (as well as its parent company Proctor & Gamble) still engage in experiments that I'd rather not have my pets' food depend upon.
On a nutritional stand-point, I also do not care for the ingredient known as "animal digest" or "animal product/by-product" seen in IAMs/Purina because the meat is unidentified.

Poe

 

[FuzzButtLover]

quoteing crazy wiggy: Just out of curiosity what difference does it make? Working in the animal department wouldn't automatically make her some sort of monster.

I know nobody is going to like me saying any of this, but please just consider looking at both sides of the story before jumping to conclusions.[/quote]


Oh sorry I didn't specify my reasoning. She wouldn't be a monster or whatever it would just be more embarressing for me to tell my friend about what they are doing. In my opinion I don't exactly agree with you for supporting animal testing, but I can see your reasoning. How else would we know what is right and wrong for our pets? Since they are testing though, they should at least have results, they do all these tests and arn't even helping anyone. They are just harming he poor dogs being tested and harming our pets with the maulnutritioned food. I just think they could have more humane ways and go through them in a more sanitary way and more comfortable for the dogs. Also no dog should be physically hurt on purpose, why would they cut fat off their legs?

edit: Also to verify why she gets discounts is because I guess she works in the advertising section? She comes home with all kinds of new products that aren't even on the shelves yet.

 

[SoCalCavies]

In my opinion I don't exactly agree with you for supporting animal testing, but I can see your reasoning. How else would we know what is right and wrong for our pets?

If you want to make an informed decision you need to look at both and make your mind up from there. Ignoring the nice pictures won't make them go away, any more than ignoring the nasty ones will. A lot of "animal testing" isn't actually as bad as people assume, in many cases you wouldn't know the difference between an animal on test and a normal healthy one. Seeing as this thread is about Iams - i,e, making better pet food - I would think that most of their testing is fairly tame. I know nobody is going to like me saying any of this, but please just consider looking at both sides of the story before jumping to conclusions.

Uggggh! Ok...this is a hard subject for me to talk about, partly because of my respect for LIFE, but also because I did extensive research in college (and years outside of it) on the whole animal testing (and especially vivisection) issue. And for the record, I DID look at both sides. As heartbreaking as it was, I was required to!

For those of you who are so adamant about all of us seeing "both sides" you probably don't even know what vivisection is!! Why don't you find out and tell me what other "side" there could possibly be on that issue?!

Anyway, back to my point, Fuzzbuttlover asked, "How else would we know what is right and wrong for our pets?" First of all, there is PLENTY of nutritional information already out there. But even more importantly, do you have any idea how long animal testing has been around?! FOREVER! Which means, these same tests have been performed for ages. You don't think they already could figure out what would kill a dog? PLEASE!!! Read about it! You can find volumes of information stating the obvious -- that all that is taking place now is repetition. Needless, wasteful, inhumane repetition of the same darn tests they have always done. The problem is, animals are considered so worthless in our society that the labs find it too "expensive" to rely on other means of testing their products when live animals are so cheap! I mean think about how cheap it is to steal someone's dog off their porch?! (And please don't tell me it doesn't happen. That's just an ignornant, misinformed statement.)

Again, Crazywiggy, I have seen both sides. My question is - WHY DON'T YOU!?

PS. PigglyWiggly: Sorry for the delay. Yes, it was Tina. I sent her a response, to which she never replied. How could she? She knew I had her! (ha ha) And besides, outside of her cookie-cutter automated-response email, she probably doesn't have a brain in her head to think on her own.