'Pet' Foods and Animal Testing Policies
Information supplied by Uncaged Campaigns
The companion animal food industry has become big business in recent years. The market is currently dominated by international corporations - such as Procter & Gamble, the makers of IAMS and Eukanuba - who ruthlessly conduct experiments on animals to try to give their pet food a competitive marketing edge.Slick advertising campaigns that promote a caring image obscure a reality of suffering and exploitation. However, as these cruel and unethical practices are being exposed decent animal guardians are seeking out responsible companies who produce pet food without cruel and unethical testing regimes.
ARA is determined to work with other animal protection groups to persuade the companion animal food industry to clean up its act. ARA supports and promotes the BUAV's new No Animal Testing Pet Food Standard. For companies to qualify, they have to prove that neither they nor their suppliers are engaged in animal testing that harms animals: that means no invasive laboratory experiments or keeping animals in captive laboratory or kennel conditions for lengthy periods of time - conditions that cannot fulfil their physical and psychological needs.
Many animal food companies issue unreliable and incomplete statements regarding their testing practices and the conduct of their suppliers. You can therefore be assured that this recommended list of foods represents a reliable guide to non-animal tested products.
| COMPANY | TELEPHONE | WEB/EMAIL |
| Arden Grange | 01273 833390 | enquiries@ardengrange.com |
| Burns | 01554 890482 | info@burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk |
| Europa Pet Foods Ltd (Brands: Europa - please note: this is NOT Europa supermarkets) | 0845 658 0987 | www.europa-pet-food.co.uk info@europa-pet-food.co.uk |
| Fromm Family Foods | 01531 633 985 | available from: www.postalpetsproducts.co.uk |
| Naturediet | 08700 132960 | info@naturediet.co.uk |
| Pero Foods Ltd | 0800 917 9697 | www.pero-petfood.co.uk sales@pero-petfood.co.uk |
| Top Number and Happidog | 0800 0182955 | |
| Trophy Pet Food | 01367 243434 | www.trophypetfoods.co.uk sales@trophypetfoods.co.uk |
| Vegecat/Vegekit | 01424 427393 | info@vegansociety.com |
BRANDS TO BOYCOTT
As mentioned above, the main culprits for cruel and unethical animal testing are the major international 'pet' food businesses.
- IAMS / Eukanuba owned by Procter & Gamble
- Hills Science Diet owned by Colgate Palmolive The majority of pet food brands available in the UK are produced by two animal testing companies - "Nestlé Purina/Friskies" and "Pedigree, Masterfoods (Mars Inc)."
- Nestlé Purina/Friskies: Alpo, Bonio, Felix, Go Cat, Gourmet, Omega Complete, Proplan, Spillers, Vital Balance, Winalot.
- Pedigree, Masterfoods (Mars Inc): Bounce, Cesar, Chappie, Frolic, James Wellbeloved, Katkins, Kitekat, Pal, Pedigree Chum, Royal Canin, Sheba, Techni-cal (US & Canada), Whiskas. Pedigree also manufacture Thomas rabbit food and Trill bird food.
So far, none of the supermarkets have pledged to produce their foods without unethical testing processes.
All the other brands of food have so far failed to sign up to the 'No Animal Testing Pet Food Standard'. This means they cannot or will not ensure that their products do not contribute to harmful systematic testing processes.
To encourage them to clean up their acts, ask them why they have not signed up to the 'No Animal Testing Pet Food Standard'.
Please forward any responses to us at ARA.
'PET' FOOD CONTENT
The content of animal foods raises additional, difficult ethical issues about the use of animals. Included in our recommended lists above are vegetable-based foods and in the case of Vegecat, a supplement that provides felines with their essential nutrients that are missing from plant sources.
For further information about 'pet' food testing, visit the BUAV site at:
www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/index.html www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/facts.html www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/companies.html www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/alternatives.html
Links :
Sample Diets for Dogs and CatsFood Pets Die For
Get The Facts: What’s Really in Pet Food
Selecting a Commercial Pet Food
