CONTACT: Barbara Stagno, IDA, 914-693-6559
Email: bstagno@ix.netcom.com
Animal Defense League of Cincinnati 513-219-3029
www.idausa.org
P&G Shareholder's Meeting Targeted for Lack of Progress
in Halting Needless Animal Tests
Cincinnati, Ohio - Displaying a banner reading "P&G:
Where's the Progress?" activists against animal testing to confront
participants at this year's Procter & Gamble shareholder meeting to
address its lack of movement in eliminating these archaic, barbaric and
unnecessary tests. The protest was to be held at Cincinnati Music Hall
on 1243 Elm Street starting at noon on Tuesday, October 9.
In July 1999, P&G responded to the intense and ongoing
public pressure over its reliance on animal testing by issuing a news
release declaring the company was stopping animal tests. In fact, this
proved nothing more than a very savvy public relations move to restore
its reputation and win back customer support.
The new announcement carried all sorts of exceptions to
P&G's so-called elimination of animal tests. The bottom line is that
P&G's announcement only pertained to existing or reformulated products
on animals. The company has continued to test new products and new
ingredients on animals. In essence, this was not really any sort of
breakthrough at all, but P&G hoped to appease consumers into believing
it was taking the first step towards a final ban on animal tests.
Now, more than two years later, that misleading "first
step" has progressed no further. Meanwhile, P&G was reported by the
British media as having "lobbied intensely" to prevent the emerging laws
passed by the European Union that will impose a total ban on animal
tests on all cosmetic products in EU countries. This effort by P&G shows
the company's true intent for perpetuating outdated and cruel animal
tests.
Shocking, too, was the recent exposure that the Iams
Corporation, a subsidiary of P&G, has been harming and killings dogs and
cats, claiming to make a better brand of pet food. In dozens of painful
and invasive experiments, the Iams Co., which manufactures the Iams/Eukanuba
line of dog and cat foods, has caused hundreds of dogs and cats to
suffer and sometimes die in the name of "nutrition research." These
experiments were not designed to help the animals involved. These
victims were all healthy animals who were used simply as disposable
laboratory equipment.
In communications between In Defense of Animals (IDA)
and Iams, the company claims it has stopped all such nutrition research
in the last two years. However, it has not yet signed a letter that was
presented to Iams in July, asking Iams to more specifically define what
it will and will not do in animal experiments. Until such clarification
is attained, IDA considers Iams to be sponsoring yet more pain and
suffering on animals and will continue to urge consumers to boycott both
P&G and Iams.
In Defense of Animals is an international,
California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the
abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and
habitats.
IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS · 131 CAMINO ALTO, SUITE E · MILL
VALLEY, CA 94941 · 415-388-9641
Go on to Strange
Species
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