Comments on: Procter & Gamble Asked To Change Pet Food Claims In Ads

By: Fiona

Fiona — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:10:09 +0000

I am in Britain and made a complaint to Advertising Standards in London that Iams adverts said that “8 out 10 Vets recommend Iams” when I knew this was not true. At the bottom of the ad it said that these figures had come from a show of hands at a meeting of the British Veterinary Small Animal Association but Advertising Standards found out that only 343 Vets had said they would recommend Iams when there are about 20,000 Vets in Britain so the ad totally mislead pet owners and Advertising Standards largely upheld my complaint that the Iams ad misleads pet owners. In another ad Iams say that cats are carnivores and that Iams contains every thing a cat needs and nothing it does not need but Iams contains 30-60% carbohydrate by the admission of Dan Carey DVM of Iams and so it does contain something cats don’t need and which veterinary research shows gives them diabetes, cystitis, kidney failure, struvite crystals, ibd, calcium oxalate stones etc. It seems Iams think they can just mislead pet owners with their ads.

By: Betsy Weathers

Betsy Weathers — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:13:25 +0000

All of these years you keep hearing “don’t let your dog eat people food, it isn’t good for them” now this….I have started buying food (human food) for my dogs and cooking for them. It is a bit more work but at least they aren’t eating crap that I am paying top dollar for which might kill them. I think it is time the consumers get what they have paid for all these years and get an actual good quality food for their pet. They certainly pay plenty for these items. That is just plain theft from these companies that make pet food from what I have learned. Well, they won’t get my money any more and I have 17 dogs right now and always around that many as I do rescue.

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 12:14:34 +0000

If I won a ton of Iams food. I would compost my garden, not feed my pets.The “game” is over. Consumers have gotton wise to the “profit for lives game.” If you paint a rusted out junked car,………it’s still junk.

By: melisa

melisa — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:45:05 +0000

What blows my mind is that “pet lovers” don’t stop to think about what’s in their pet’s food. For the most part it is full of fillers and other animal parts; animals who were abused and exploited! How can you say you love animals when you allow them to be killed for your pet? I am not strictly advertising a vegetarian diet but people should only buy raw food (or even kibbles) that come from happy, healthy cows/pigs/chickens/lamb. Gross, lamb? How sad! Either way, it’s discusting what these companies will do to make a buck. Speak loud with your dollar…don’t buy Colgate anything, don’t buy P&G anything (good luck, these two companies produce almost every conventional toiletry product).

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:24:50 +0000

I’m really glad they’re at each other. I just hope this doesn’t draw attention away from the real problems with the food. Like many of you said, most vets don’t have a clue - even the vet specialists. Let them fight, but don’t forget to keep up our fight - STOP MAKING POISON -ALL OF YOU!

By: sandi

sandi — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:35:52 +0000

I will stick with Canidae

Sandi

By: nora

nora — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:03:39 +0000

Yes, this is where many pet owners and their present vets will DIVIDE. If the vet argues and upholds ANY of those crap foods like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc…over a well balanced and healthy home cooked diet, IT IS TIME TO GET A STEPPIN AWAY FROM THEM. OR possibly use them ONLY for the required inoculations and monthly meds for fleas, ticks and hearworms, or an emergency sickness (antibioctics required or God Forbid any injuries). Just leave the DIET up to YOURSELF. Good for you Groom Room, hopefully this was a wakeup call for your vet.

By: The Groom Room

The Groom Room — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:39:02 +0000

well I got into an argument with my vet over crap food they sell…she said oh yes Science Diet is good food…I said WHAT????? Have you READ the ingredients? I further challenged her…I said…you went to school for 8 years right? Right.
You have access to the internet right? Right
Then how come I know more about whats in pet food than you do. Who taught you about Science diet? Hills did
I said..ok you took an oath to do no harm right? Right.
Well if you are recommending this crap food with these crap ingredients, you ARE DOING HARM!
nuf said.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:33:44 +0000

Colgate and P&G going at it in the ad war - Love it! However, P&G instead of saying your food causes pets to live healthier and longer, perhaps you might like to explain to pet parents why your food killed and sickened. That doesn’t sound healthier or longer to me. My survivor will never be the same.

Vets were programmed. When this started my vet just couldn’t believe Iam’s was at fault, such a good food and been out there so long. Than the “real” news hit. I don’t think the vets are as happy with PFI anymore.

My last two visits to my pets vet and specialist were very different from the past. They looked at my home cooked diet and made suggestions and additions. I think the pet food contamination was a learning experience for them as to what is really in those bright colored bags.

Question: when you go to the BBB do you file the complaint within your own state or go to the state in which the companys headquarters are? How about the FDA? I have a file with them re:food in March. Do you write them and file a complaint about the ads?

Katie

By: straybaby

straybaby — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:03:15 +0000

i said that MAKES you want to scream. ya know that gut reaction to the BS they’re spewing? if that’s your reaction to an ad, perhaps popping online and filing a complaint would be useful.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:49:21 +0000

straybaby: so folks, anytime you hear a pet food commercial that makes you want to scream â€œBull S***!!â€ be sure and file a complaint with NAD.

go ahead and scream BS — the little old lady next doo, and the consumer on the street don’t hear anything else.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:43:14 +0000

what a hoot! recommendation was not prompted by the pet food recalls, instead it was posed as a challenge by Colgate-Palmolive, marketer of Hillâ€™s Science Diet pet food.

if that aint the lying liar calling the lying liar a liar

By: straybaby

straybaby — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:28:28 +0000

lol!~ well this brings a smile to my face. the big boys gettin’ pissy over advertising claims. oh, the irony!

so folks, anytime you hear a pet food commercial that makes you want to scream “Bull S***!!” be sure and file a complaint with NAD.

also, if you know of brands that have changed their ingredients but are using old packaging and they have not been stickered, report them to consumer affairs, the bbb and fda and anyone else that needs to know. time to start doin’ some smack down on these companies.

truth in advertising. truth in labeling.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:24:45 +0000

I was glad to see this article. I love my vet, since I do rescue I’m in the clinic two or three times a week. They all know that my rescue kitties eat only holistic foods.

But I’ve heard her to tell people, “Oh, yes, Iams is a good food, it will be fine.” And I ask her, offline, “Why did you recommend Iams?”

Her answer is, “Well, it’s been around a long time, the cats seem to like it.”

It has nothing to do with ingredients or quality or measured tests on how well animals do on it or anything. It’s reputation and marketing, if you ask me.

By: Pukanuba

Pukanuba — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:42:25 +0000

I just love it……..go get these pf companies, keep the pressure on them. I see those ads & I want to put my fist through the tv screen. There was a time I really believed all their bullpucky that their food was good for my dog……however, I have never had a warm, fuzzy feeling about Iams…….no reason, just never liked it. I don’t ever remember seeing so many ads for pet food nor have I seen this many coupons for either free food or big discounts. I’d hate to think they might be hurting.

I think there’s a lot of fighting going on because their food isn’t selling……aw gee, what a terrible shame. The CEOs are in a panic because it’s tough going from a 100 million dollar bonus down to 25 million…….don’t have to tell you how much my heart aches for those poor bastards. Yeah right, when pigs fly……..& let’s hope they aren’t the diseased ones or the melapigs.