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news release

	Fifi has been used in IAMS studies for at least six years. She hides in the back of her cage constantly.

SHOCKING UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION EXPOSES CALLOUS CRUELTY BEHIND IAMS' LIES

Dogs and cats neglected and killed in IAMS pet food research

A new nine-month undercover investigation conducted by US group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has discovered harrowing neglect and suffering endured by cats and dogs in IAMS-sponsored experiments. The damning evidence confirms that IAMS' stated "research policy" is nothing more than a sham designed to conceal shocking suffering caused by IAMS experiments on animals.

IAMS' cruelty was first exposed in May 2001 when Uncaged Campaigns gained a front-page exposé of horrific experiments involving the killing of scores and cats of dogs in IAMS nutrition experiments.

IAMS, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, responded with a carefully-coordinated spin campaign, making unsubstantiated claims in policy statements while refusing to answer direct questions. However, their statements are now being investigated by the UK Advertising Standards Authority following a detailed complaint by Uncaged Campaigns, who are spearheading a global consumer boycott in protest at cruel animal tests performed by IAMS and Procter & Gamble.

Dan Lyons, director of Uncaged Campaigns, says:

"The new evidence gained by PETA establishes without doubt that IAMS have misled consumers, concealing neglect and cruelty for the sake of commercial greed. We'd like to congratulate PETA on such an important investigation that confirms what we've always suspected - IAMS are callous, calculating liars whose only concern is profit."

The investigator, who infiltrated a commercial laboratory in the Mid-West of the United States, uncovered the killing of 27 IAMS dogs who had already had chunks of their thigh muscles hacked out. IAMS, who also produce the Eukanuba brand pet food, had claimed that no cats or dogs would be killed in research.

Despite regular visits from IAMS representatives, cats and dogs were housed in inhumane and dangerous laboratory conditions, with little of the environmental enrichment or care that IAMS had claimed they would ensure for animals used in their tests.

Just a couple of months ago, dogs in IAMS experiments had their vocal chords cut out to stop them barking, a cruel and unnecessary mutilation. Yet IAMS have been pretending that they would only perform procedures deemed acceptable in human nutritional studies. (A revealing excerpt from PETA's report is provided below.)

Dan Lyons continues:

"We'll be presenting this information to consumers across the UK and the world, and it will deal a body blow to IAMS and P&G sales. People understand that in today's global economy, if they buy a packet of IAMS from the supermarket in Manchester, they're funding the abuse of animals in the mid-west of the USA."

Excerpt from PETA report:

"Our investigator videotaped Iams dogs being dumped on cold concrete flooring after having huge chunks of muscle cut out of their thighs; a co-worker instructing her to hit the dogs on the chest if they quit breathing; another co-worker talking about an Iams dog found dead in his cage, bleeding from his mouth; a dog limping in pain from Lyme disease; cruel studies done by Iams involving sticking tubes down dogs' throats to force them to ingest vegetable oil; Iams dogs with such severe tartar buildup on their teeth that it was painful for them to eat; vet technicians with inadequate training and experience performing invasive procedures; two co-workers conducting a pregnancy test on a terrified dog lying on top of a cart with wheels that moved every time she struggled; dogs and cats gone stir crazy from confinement; dogs and cats in windowless, dungeon-like buildings; co-workers talking about the live kitten who was washed down a drain; co-workers talking about how they had to go home because the ammonia fumes in the animal trailers were so overpowering that it made their eyes burn (try being one of the animals in those cages!); and cats kept in a cinderblock room with crude wooden "resting" boards that had nails sticking out of them. One of the boards fell on a cat, crushing her to death, while our investigator was there. The lab director did not remove the boards when the cat was crushed but he did remove them when he was told the lab was going to be inspected because he knew they were illegal."

For more details about this exposé, visit the PETA website.

Related links:

• IAMS index
• IAMS exposé
• Global Boycott P&G
• Support for the campaign
• Pet food information sheet

Uncaged Campaigns 27.03.03

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