Stop Torturing Animals for Pet Food Research! Demand Animal Advocates

Animal Protection Institute
Monday, 6 August 2001

Disturbed by recent allegations of cruel and invasive nutrition research funded, conducted by, or under the direction of, The Iams Company (Iams), the Animal Protection Institute (API) challenged the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc. (AAFCO), to adopt new pet food industry guidelines against the practice this week. API is also requesting that the Center for Veterinary Medicine, a division of the federal Food and Drug Administration, adopt the proposal.

Allegations of cruel pet food research by Iams first surfaced May 27 after an investigation by In Defense of Animals (IDA) and Uncaged. API assisted IDA in drafting the initial guidelines that were then given to Iams.

A set of revised guidelines was presented on August 4 by Jean Hofve, DVM, Companion Animal Coordinator for API and liaison to the AAFCO Pet Food Committee at AAFCO's 91st annual convention.

"Like most people, we're appalled that pet food companies are torturing animals under the pretense of nutrition research and demand that they adopt stringent guidelines for future research to prevent animal suffering," said Alan Berger, API's Executive Director. "While such guidelines would not be necessarily binding to manufacturers, they would set a reasonable standard for ethical, humane research and hopefully put an end to what can only be considered a disgraceful contradiction."

"The studies reviewed thus far suggest that there have been some questionable and even cruel procedures sanctioned and conducted by Iams," charged API's Hofve. "Worse yet, Iams is far from being alone."

According to API, other large pet food manufacturers, including Hill's, Waltham's and Ralston Purina among others, have funded, sponsored or conducted many studies that caused significant pain, discomfort or distress, used invasive procedures, and/or resulted in the death of the subject animals. In one experiment, 18 dogs were killed so their bones could be harvested for research on bone strength. The initial investigation into these studies was conducted by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).

For more information, or to contact Animal Protection Institute, see their website at: www.api4animals.org