I received this email from Iams on Friday, Oct. 8, 2004: (just posting in case any of you who sent the complaint to them before didn't get this one. I am not posting it to say I believe them...information only).
Hello:
You've contacted us in the past, and we've promised to keep you informed about new initiatives with nutritional studies and our dog and cat care and welfare programs. We have exciting progress to report.
Progress
This week we announced that by October, 2006, we will no longer conduct feeding studies in external contract facilities or universities. Instead, we will transition all of our dog and cat feeding studies to three locations:
* In-home with pets volunteered by pet parents -- which already
accounts for more than half of the dogs and cats in our studies.
* In-house at the Iams Pet Health and Nutrition Center where an
expansion is underway.
* In places where dogs and cats already live, such as animal shelters
and with groups that provide assistance dogs to people in need.
This is another example of the innovative collaboration provided by our independent International Animal Care Advisory Board, which includes experts from a number of well-respected outside organizations such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). We appreciate the expertise of these individuals as well as their organizations' dedication to the welfare of pets.
Myth-busting
Plenty of myths circulate on all topics over the Internet, and one story that is making the rounds talks about a beagle study at Auburn University funded by Iams. The story is a complete fabrication, but the reality is
simple: We are actually funding a study with beagles volunteered by their owners. Once the study is complete, the dogs and their puppies are returned to their homes. This is another example of how false stories can confuse the public.
To read more details about our dog and cat care and welfare program, visit
http://www.IamsTruth.com <http://www.IamsTruth.com> . We created this Web resource to set the record straight and share our best practices with the rest of the pet food industry. Visit IamsTruth to see:
* Streaming video showing the dogs and cats at Iams study sites.
* A photo album of dogs and cats who have completed feeding studies
and have been adopted by caring Iams employees.
* Outside experts' observations about Iams policies and practices.
* Results from unannounced site reviews by the International Animal
Care Advisory Board.
Thank you for taking the time to read our message. If you no longer want to receive updates, please respond to this e-mail so that we may update our system. As always, Iams Consumer Care is happy to answer any questions you may have. Call 1-800-863-4267 to speak with one of our advisors about these important issues.
Sincerely,
Marti
Iams Consumer Care, North America