Comments on: The Price Of Pet Food Research http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609 Essential news for cats, dogs and pet owners. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:44:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Whisper http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-54203 Whisper Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:55:09 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-54203 I quit med school because of the research. I was in a PhD/MD program. My undergrad degree was in molecular biology and that is also what I planned on doing my grad work in. Not once as an undergrad was I exposed to animal research. Imagine my surprise when I started grad school and it was everywhere. I refused to participate in anything involving animal research. My professors agreed, but it was everywhere. I would walk into a lab to find animal limbs everywhere. They were blatantly disregarded with no respect. They would treat these animals awfully, and say you really have to be a person that likes animals to do animal research. What sense does that make? I would say that 99% of the research was done for grant money. There was no scientifically significant research being done, and if you questioned the neccessity of it you got no answer. I remember one thing that really upset me and I remember this five years later. One class had to test for proteins in brains of rats. There were five rats in a small cage. I saw the rats before the so called experiment. I refused to take part or be present. To make a long story short, the rats were killed and the brains removed. The machinery used to test protein levels was broken. No one tested that before the rats were killed so they were killed for nothing, and scientist are supposed to be intelligent. I know a degree of research is needed in medecine, but I thought things had changed. I thought we advanced. I quit after one semester. I came home depressed everyday. My breaking point was when I was to be enrolled in a class that used over 300 dogs. I did not stay for it, but I heard from people in the class the dogs were used for things like just to see the heart beat and killed shortly after. Not humanely either. Many would seize badly right before. Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to get that out there. I suffered for two years with depression after going to school for one semester. I quit med school because of the research. I was in a PhD/MD program. My undergrad degree was in molecular biology and that is also what I planned on doing my grad work in. Not once as an undergrad was I exposed to animal research. Imagine my surprise when I started grad school and it was everywhere. I refused to participate in anything involving animal research. My professors agreed, but it was everywhere. I would walk into a lab to find animal limbs everywhere. They were blatantly disregarded with no respect. They would treat these animals awfully, and say you really have to be a person that likes animals to do animal research. What sense does that make? I would say that 99% of the research was done for grant money. There was no scientifically significant research being done, and if you questioned the neccessity of it you got no answer. I remember one thing that really upset me and I remember this five years later. One class had to test for proteins in brains of rats. There were five rats in a small cage. I saw the rats before the so called experiment. I refused to take part or be present. To make a long story short, the rats were killed and the brains removed. The machinery used to test protein levels was broken. No one tested that before the rats were killed so they were killed for nothing, and scientist are supposed to be intelligent. I know a degree of research is needed in medecine, but I thought things had changed. I thought we advanced. I quit after one semester. I came home depressed everyday. My breaking point was when I was to be enrolled in a class that used over 300 dogs. I did not stay for it, but I heard from people in the class the dogs were used for things like just to see the heart beat and killed shortly after. Not humanely either. Many would seize badly right before. Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to get that out there. I suffered for two years with depression after going to school for one semester.

]]> By: Jenny Bark http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-54023 Jenny Bark Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:51:21 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-54023 I agree with everyone especialy Sharon. It is done everywhere & they are getting away with it. I didn't know about aeta, learned something new. Is their anyway we can get it changed. We talk about other places & look what all is going on in our America. I hate it. The poor, sick, old, kids & our animals. I will promise one thing, no one is getting even a dollar from me anymore who gives or uses animals for research. I do use animal free testing products but from what I read the ones who say they don't test on animals just use a third party. I've read that a lot of times, I think the last time on consumer products. Cage an animal & do with it what ever you want & call yourself a good caringing person & a gift to the world. Hell is a good place for them. I agree with everyone especialy Sharon. It is done everywhere & they are getting away with it. I didn’t know about aeta, learned something new. Is their anyway we can get it changed. We talk about other places & look what all is going on in our America. I hate it. The poor, sick, old, kids & our animals. I will promise one thing, no one is getting even a dollar from me anymore who gives or uses animals for research.
I do use animal free testing products but from what I read the ones who say they don’t test on animals just use a third party. I’ve read that a lot of times, I think the last time on consumer products. Cage an animal & do with it what ever you want & call yourself a good caringing person & a gift to the world. Hell is a good place for them.

]]> By: Stefani http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53989 Stefani Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:48:03 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53989 Of course, I found this story just awfully depressing, eye opening, and sickening. I have to comment on some of the posts that I too am horrified by the passage of the AETA. I called all my reps/Senators to oppose it but in the end it was passed at night on voice vote with almost no one there. It was cosponsored by a list of people who shocked me. It is horrible, and must be overturned. Let me know what I can do on this score. I know it just probably has to be challenged up to the Supreme Court at this point, but the lack of outrage and coverage on this has disturbed me greatly. We have truly gone crazy in this society when the word "terrorist" can be used to describe someone who, through effective protest actions, convinces a company to sever a contractual relationship with a vivisection lab. The word "terrorist" has lost all meaning. Stefani The Toonces Project http://www.TheTooncesProject.com "Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?" Of course, I found this story just awfully depressing, eye opening, and sickening.

I have to comment on some of the posts that I too am horrified by the passage of the AETA. I called all my reps/Senators to oppose it but in the end it was passed at night on voice vote with almost no one there. It was cosponsored by a list of people who shocked me. It is horrible, and must be overturned.

Let me know what I can do on this score. I know it just probably has to be challenged up to the Supreme Court at this point, but the lack of outrage and coverage on this has disturbed me greatly. We have truly gone crazy in this society when the word “terrorist” can be used to describe someone who, through effective protest actions, convinces a company to sever a contractual relationship with a vivisection lab.

The word “terrorist” has lost all meaning.

Stefani
The Toonces Project
http://www.TheTooncesProject.com
“Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?”

]]> By: Kiki http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53985 Kiki Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:39:43 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53985 The corporatization of academia...it sux and so does Fahey with his biased enviable industry funding and thus his suspect (read: invalid) research findings. Whatever. Every institution in America is corrupt. None of which deserve any trust or respect. The corporatization of academia…it sux and so does Fahey with his biased enviable industry funding and thus his suspect (read: invalid) research findings. Whatever. Every institution in America is corrupt. None of which deserve any trust or respect.

]]> By: Sharon http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53961 Sharon Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:21:28 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53961 This kind of thing goes on every day in the Animal Science departments of all the Land Grant universities in the United States. What has changed over the years is money that colleges and universities take from industry to do their bidding. When educational institutions were free from this kind of thing, college students actually received a good education and went on to be productive members of society. Our colleges and universities have become corrupt because they have become politicized. If you examine what has happened to student loans you will see the same thing. I hate Republicans and what they have done. They have ruined our country in every way. There isn't anything or anyone that can't be bought. This kind of thing goes on every day in the Animal Science departments of all the Land Grant universities in the United States. What has changed over the years is money that colleges and universities take from industry to do their bidding. When educational institutions were free from this kind of thing, college students actually received a good education and went on to be productive members of society. Our colleges and universities have become corrupt because they have become politicized. If you examine what has happened to student loans you will see the same thing. I hate Republicans and what they have done. They have ruined our country in every way. There isn’t anything or anyone that can’t be bought.

]]> By: Pukanuba http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53951 Pukanuba Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:48:55 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53951 I don't know what to say about Dr. Frankenstein, er Fahey.......I couldn't even finish the article because I was getting sick & angry all at the same time. This is horrifying. I agree with all of you......I think Fahey needs to be "surgically altered" with a plastic tube sticking out his side, put in a cell for 24 hrs a day, his poop sampled & let out to exercise twice a week. We can feed him MF canned pf & pouches w/a little dry mixed in & see how long he survives on this "wholesome & nutritious" food......you know, the one that extends lives. I don’t know what to say about Dr. Frankenstein, er Fahey…….I couldn’t even finish the article because I was getting sick & angry all at the same time.

This is horrifying.

I agree with all of you……I think Fahey needs to be “surgically altered” with a plastic tube sticking out his side, put in a cell for 24 hrs a day, his poop sampled & let out to exercise twice a week. We can feed him MF canned pf & pouches w/a little dry mixed in & see how long he survives on this “wholesome & nutritious” food……you know, the one that extends lives.

]]> By: purringfur http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53932 purringfur Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:41:49 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53932 I'd be more fearful of the garbage (chemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones, industrial waste products) we allow and feed our animals for human consumption than I would be of any possible "outside" terrorist attack to our food supplies! If you ask me, the garbage that's allowed in food IS terrorism! I’d be more fearful of the garbage (chemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones, industrial waste products) we allow and feed our animals for human consumption than I would be of any possible “outside” terrorist attack to our food supplies! If you ask me, the garbage that’s allowed in food IS terrorism!

]]> By: thomas http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53925 thomas Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:25:23 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53925 I was glad to see the posts on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. This act was pushed by some farmers , agri businesses , farm groups and their well paid lobbyists . I t further errodes are constitutional rights. This act protects experimental research such as Fahey is conducting and makes those of us who oppose it terrorists. This act needs to overturned and declared unconstitutional. I ask everyone who are the real terrorists the people who care about animals or the ones who would take away our constitutional right . In the area where I live a farmer claimed after his milk tested positive for an antibiotic that he saw people driving away from near his milk tank and felt they had tainted his milk. This story was headline news for several days . The federal .state and local police were investigating this so called terrorist act. I have often wondered if this incident wasn't used to help get AETA passed. Over a year latter and after AETA passed in the inside section of the paper was a story in small print, the farmer had been arrested for falsely reporting an incident. He had mixed contanimated milk with his good milk and made up the story about terrorists (in this case people who care about animals doing it). the truth came out after AETA passed. I was glad to see the posts on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. This act was pushed by some farmers , agri businesses , farm groups and their well paid lobbyists . I t further errodes are constitutional rights. This act protects experimental research such as Fahey is conducting and makes those of us who oppose it terrorists. This act needs to overturned and declared unconstitutional. I ask everyone who are the real terrorists the people who care about animals or the ones who would take away our constitutional right .

In the area where I live a farmer claimed after his milk tested positive for an antibiotic that he saw people driving away from near his milk tank and felt they had tainted his milk. This story was headline news for several days . The federal .state and local police were investigating this so called terrorist act. I have often wondered if this incident wasn’t used to help get AETA passed. Over a year latter and after AETA passed in the inside section of the paper was a story in small print, the farmer had been arrested for falsely reporting an incident. He had mixed contanimated milk with his good milk and made up the story about terrorists (in this case people who care about animals doing it). the truth came out after AETA passed.

]]> By: purringfur http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53907 purringfur Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:35:11 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53907 Personally, I don't care if my puppies have stools the size of mastadon stools and need to be wiped with a full roll of triple-ply paper towels (no longer buying Bounty!) each time they have a bowel movement! My puppies' stools on homecooked human foods are beautiful -- small, low odor, etc., and my female is no longer suffering from flatulence once I started homecooking. Their little fannies are sparkling clean every single time they go. Aren't prisoners in solitary confinement even allowed one hour of exercise per day? Those poor dogs... going outside only twice per week. For a supposedly erudite man, Fahey's quotes do not seem to match. From his quotes, it's FAHEY'S GLIB ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ANIMALS that irks me. And, if these quotes are his puerile attempts at humor, I fail to see ANY humor when I picture dogs with tubes hanging out of their sides. Fahey said: “If you had this much money spent on you, you’d be happy, too.” ... The visitor asked why the dogs were so upset. “They thought you were going to take them out to play,” Fahey said. “Look what you did.” And this guy is the golden child of the division????????????????????? With that attitude? He may have published and presented his way to the highest academic rank and received awards, but this guy appears to have become so callous toward his invasive research on animals that he makes jokes about it. This article was in the New York Times. I'll bet the chancellor of the entire IL University system will be getting a lot of feedback about what Fahey said, and I hope he/she does. ........................................... In academia, it's the game of pulling in the research money for prestige, publishing results, and presenting at conferences. Fahey's been at it for 31 years. Does anyone know if the state of IL is going to offer an enticing round of retirement incentives? Who knows how many lab animals he's "worked" on. He'll probably just move into a high paying human food research position next. SOME RECOGNITION GEORGE C. FAHEY RECEIVED: Corbin Award in Companion Animal Nutrition (Am. Soc. An. Sci. and The IAMS Co.) 2003 George C. Fahey, Jr. (NOTE: the IAMS connection) American Feed Industry Association Award for Research in Ruminant Animal Nutrition 1990 George C. Fahey, Jr. Co-authored Publication: Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Fourth Revised Edition, 1995 (1995) Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) - by several authors, one being Fahey. Grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation on BABY FORMULA research. Division of Nutritional Sciences Receives $500,000 Freedom to Discover Grant - Fahey is one of the researchers Many of Fahey's publications are sited by www.bioplastic.org Looks like a lot of similar research on altering the ph level of hydrogen peroxide on corn stalks, corn cobs, etc. to increase their breakdown to release every last carb that's possible. If an animal can't digest a by-product in its natural state without altering the "food" chemically first, turn the corn cob into the soil for compost!! Remember Upton Sinclair's "everything but the squeal." Remember the bio-fuel industry/animal feed manufacturers looking for a way to use the by-product, glycerine, in chicken and swine feed to see how much they can add before the animal's appetite is hindered and slaughter weight is affected. Is this another cheap solution for waste products of agri-business? Article Published: "Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment Unlocks Energy in Agricultural By-Products" Abstract here: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/230/4727/820 According to the UIUC website, Fahey has enjoyed an "enviable" record of industry funding... Yup! WHAT A LAUDATORY CAREER! Reading about Fahey makes me ill. Personally, I don’t care if my puppies have stools the size of mastadon stools and need to be wiped with a full roll of triple-ply paper towels (no longer buying Bounty!) each time they have a bowel movement! My puppies’ stools on homecooked human foods are beautiful — small, low odor, etc., and my female is no longer suffering from flatulence once I started homecooking. Their little fannies are sparkling clean every single time they go.

Aren’t prisoners in solitary confinement even allowed one hour of exercise per day? Those poor dogs… going outside only twice per week.

For a supposedly erudite man, Fahey’s quotes do not seem to match.

From his quotes, it’s FAHEY’S GLIB ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ANIMALS that irks me. And, if these quotes are his puerile attempts at humor, I fail to see ANY humor when I picture dogs with tubes hanging out of their sides.

Fahey said: “If you had this much money spent on you, you’d be happy, too.”
…
The visitor asked why the dogs were so upset.

“They thought you were going to take them out to play,” Fahey said. “Look what you did.”

And this guy is the golden child of the division????????????????????? With that attitude?

He may have published and presented his way to the highest academic rank and received awards, but this guy appears to have become so callous toward his invasive research on animals that he makes jokes about it.

This article was in the New York Times. I’ll bet the chancellor of the entire IL University system will be getting a lot of feedback about what Fahey said, and I hope he/she does.
…………………………………….

In academia, it’s the game of pulling in the research money for prestige, publishing results, and presenting at conferences. Fahey’s been at it for 31 years. Does anyone know if the state of IL is going to offer an enticing round of retirement incentives? Who knows how many lab animals he’s “worked” on. He’ll probably just move into a high paying human food research position next.

SOME RECOGNITION GEORGE C. FAHEY RECEIVED:

Corbin Award in Companion Animal Nutrition (Am. Soc. An. Sci. and The IAMS Co.)
2003 George C. Fahey, Jr. (NOTE: the IAMS connection)

American Feed Industry Association Award for Research in Ruminant Animal Nutrition
1990 George C. Fahey, Jr.

Co-authored Publication: Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Fourth Revised Edition, 1995 (1995)
Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR)
- by several authors, one being Fahey.

Grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation on BABY FORMULA research. Division of Nutritional Sciences Receives $500,000 Freedom to Discover Grant
- Fahey is one of the researchers

Many of Fahey’s publications are sited by www.bioplastic.org

Looks like a lot of similar research on altering the ph level of hydrogen peroxide on corn stalks, corn cobs, etc. to increase their breakdown to release every last carb that’s possible.

If an animal can’t digest a by-product in its natural state without altering the “food” chemically first, turn the corn cob into the soil for compost!! Remember Upton Sinclair’s “everything but the squeal.” Remember the bio-fuel industry/animal feed manufacturers looking for a way to use the by-product, glycerine, in chicken and swine feed to see how much they can add before the animal’s appetite is hindered and slaughter weight is affected. Is this another cheap solution for waste products of agri-business?

Article Published: “Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment Unlocks Energy in Agricultural By-Products”
Abstract here: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/.....0/4727/820

According to the UIUC website, Fahey has enjoyed an “enviable” record of industry funding…

Yup! WHAT A LAUDATORY CAREER! Reading about Fahey makes me ill.

]]> By: Tealcsmommy http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53903 Tealcsmommy Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:27:00 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53903 This is probably how they were able to sneak in all those toxins and low grade vitamins in the pet food by this type of experimenting. See how much you can add before it kills an animal! I am sure some of the original test animals are not around today. This is probably how they were able to sneak in all those toxins and low grade vitamins in the pet food by this type of experimenting. See how much you can add before it kills an animal! I am sure some of the original test animals are not around today.

]]> By: catmom5 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53902 catmom5 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:24:34 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53902 Sorry, but cooking for my five cats isn't going to work. One has ARF and IBD, none of them even like wet food (except for fancy feast ~ not a choice) and they will not eat home cooked anything! Believe me, I have tried to give real food as treats to get them interested and it does not work. So, there are some of us for lots of reasons who will continue to buy commercial pet food. We deserve to have safe, healthy food available! Sorry, but cooking for my five cats isn’t going to work. One has ARF and IBD, none of them even like wet food (except for fancy feast ~ not a choice) and they will not eat home cooked anything! Believe me, I have tried to give real food as treats to get them interested and it does not work. So, there are some of us for lots of reasons who will continue to buy commercial pet food. We deserve to have safe, healthy food available!

]]> By: highnote http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53875 highnote Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:29:13 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53875 You don't have to test an animal to find melamine in the food. Test the food!!! Testing these poor animals did not help anyone when their pets died! So what good does this guy do? No good just more suffering! These companies already know what is good for a pet to eat. They do not need to test the food for that but they sure need to test their pet food for chemicals that should not be in the food in the first place!! This is what they should have spent their money on! For the price they are paying this guy to murder dogs they could have in house testing of their pet food and our pets may not have died. You don’t have to test an animal to find melamine in the food. Test the food!!! Testing these poor animals did not help anyone when their pets died! So what good does this guy do? No good just more suffering!
These companies already know what is good for a pet to eat. They do not need to test the food for that but they sure need to test their pet food for chemicals that should not be in the food in the first place!! This is what they should have spent their money on!
For the price they are paying this guy to murder dogs they could have in house testing of their pet food and our pets may not have died.

]]> By: Maureen http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53847 Maureen Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:03:50 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53847 The description of Dr. Fahey's testing lab is very hard to read. However, that's only one aspect of the NY Times article from which it came. There's more to the article than this. Note that you have to register to read the NYT online, but it's free. However, articles are only available for a week. This was published on 9/2. Nora's message above says it all. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/magazine/02pet-t.html?em&ex=1189051200&en=5d9047c3cc41e2f1&ei=5070 The description of Dr. Fahey’s testing lab is very hard to read. However, that’s only one aspect of the NY Times article from which it came. There’s more to the article than this.

Note that you have to register to read the NYT online, but it’s free. However, articles are only available for a week. This was published on 9/2.

Nora’s message above says it all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09.....mp;ei=5070

]]> By: nora http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53839 nora Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:18:21 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53839 STOP BUYING COMMERCIAL DOG FOOD!!!!!!! HOME COOK for Gods sake. STOP BUYING COMMERCIAL DOG FOOD!!!!!!! HOME COOK for Gods sake.

]]> By: catmom5 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53828 catmom5 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:16:40 +0000 http://www.itchmo.com/the-price-of-pet-food-research-2609#comment-53828 I couldn't get this story out of my mind. I will be writing to the manufacturers of the pet food I use to see if they are "clients" of this man (or others like him). Don't expect an honest answer, but I'm gonna ask anyway. I agree with all that Gindy wrote ~ and I, too, use only products that DO NOT do animal testing. The products are out there and readily available. I couldn’t get this story out of my mind. I will be writing to the manufacturers of the pet food I use to see if they are “clients” of this man (or others like him). Don’t expect an honest answer, but I’m gonna ask anyway.
I agree with all that Gindy wrote ~ and I, too, use only products that DO NOT do animal testing. The products are out there and readily available.

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