Does Hill's employ the services of outside entities, either directly or
indirectly, which do use invasive testing of any kind?

eq

Steve Crane:

     The insinuation that Hill's does anything like what has been
claimed about IAMS is BS, but you already knew that of course, you just
couldn't resist continuing your obsessive vendetta.
     Hill's does NO invasive testing of any kind. No invasive - means
no surgery, no cutting period. Hill's does animal feeding tests to meet
AAFCO requirements to prove a food does what it is supposed to do. Of
course the alternative is to create a pet food and then sell it to
millions of people and thus do the experiment on YOUR cat or dog.
Hill's does conduct significant testing of owner animals, in thier
house and under thier control. Neither will Hill's fund any invasive

In my post, I stated that Colgate-Palmolive does animal testing. They are
the parent company of Hill's (a fact you well know since you work for
Hill's).  IIRC, Colgate-Palmolive claimed they were going to do a
moritorium on animal testing, but I could never find any documentation to
corroborate that they had stopped.

Also, as to feeding trials:
"What does it take to meet the AAFCO regulations? Pet foods can meet
approval by AAFCO in one of two ways. First, the food can be put through
laboratory analysis and compared to minimum values established by the AAFCO
Nutrient Profiles for Dogs and Cats—guidelines based on the best available
knowledge of the nutrients cats and dogs need to “stay healthy”. Because
that knowledge is not firm for all nutrients, the numbers are somewhat
arbitrary. There is also no guarantee that an animal will be able to absorb
the nutrients in that food.According to Richard Markham, DVM, PhD, of
Hill’s, “A food composed of shoe leather, motor oil, vitamins, and minerals
will analyze (in a lab) to meet AAFCO nutrient recommendations for dogs or
cats, but obviously would not be a good diet for dogs or cats. Thus, the
claim “balanced”, “complete”, “adequate”, or “guaranteed to meet or exceed
all AAFCO nutrient recommendations” has little meaning”. Second, the food
can be put through a feeding trial in accordance with AAFCO protocols. The
feeding trial need take place for only six months in order for a food to
claim it can maintain an adult animal’s health, which may not be long
enough for certain deficiencies or excesses to show their effects."

Also of interest:

"For adult maintenance dog food to pass the AAFCO test:

8 dogs older than 1 yr. must start the test.
At start all dogs must be normal weight & health.
A blood test is to be taken from each dog at the start and finish of the
test.
For 6 months, the dogs used must only eat the food being tested.
The dogs finishing the test must not lose more than 15% of their body
weight.
During the test, none of the dogs used are to die or be removed becasue of
nutritional causes.
6 of the 8 dogs starting must finish the test.
That's all there is to it.

"The AAFCO protocols for adult maintenance dog food listed in the book,
Official Publication, 1994, Association of American Feed Control Officials
Incorporated, do not require different breeds to be tested, nor do they
exclude any of the larger breeds which are still puppies (nutritionally)
when they are 1 to 2 years old. Their protocols require blood tests which
screen only four different blood values: RBC number, hemoglobin, packed
cell volume and serum albumin. The average veterinary "basic blood profile"
screens over twenty-five blood values."

They need to fire their PR people.  They actually do a shitload of good
work for animal welfare.

-L.

Phil,
   It's also over shadowed by theri financial support for convicted
fire bomber Coronado. It's also over shadowed by thier use of deceit in
creating a  "Physicians" group that doesn't contain physicians, by the
horrrendous poor taste in comic books they pass out to children
claiming the children's Mommies are butchers. PETA spends virtually
nothing helping any animals. They picket a shelter that has to put some
animals down and then turn around and put their own animals to sleep
when it's no longer convenient. This is a dangerous terrorist group.
For some interesting information about them take a look at
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/