Here is a response I got to a letter of boycott to the Iams corporation. Looks like they have taken notice of us. Thanks to the internet, we do have some clout!
Here is a copy of letter of response they sent me:
Dear Dog Enthusiast:
You recently contacted us regarding our affiliation with the HSUS. We'd like
to thank you for taking the time to express your concern as well as update
you on a recent decision made by our organization.
The Iams Company will not be funding the Petfest America events with HSUS
again next year. We appreciate all of the direct feedback we have received
from the dog community and apologize for the frustration that this
sponsorship has caused. We have a lot of exciting innovations planned next
year, which will require our focused time and resources.
As a leader in the pet industry, The Iams Company is about educating all pet
owners on pet health care and nutrition - from the family pet to the active
competitor. We are definitely pro-dog and clearly not anti-hunting. We look
forward to continuing our long history of support of the sporting dog
community and leadership in the industry with innovative research to improve
the health and well-being of athletic dogs. We hope that we can put this
behind us and focus on the future -- great performing foods for great
performing dogs.
Iams and Eukanuba Sponsorships and Support of the Sporting Dog Community:
* AKC Master National Hunt Test
* AKC National Gun Dog Championship
* AKC Pointer National Championship
* Brittany National Amateur Championship
* Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship
* Canadian National Retriever Championship
* ESPN Great Outdoor Games
* Eukanuba Beagle Championship
* German Wirehaired Pointer Nationals & Specialty
* GSPCA National Specialty
* National Amateur Retriever Championship
* National Bird Dog Championship
* National German Pointing Dog Championship
* National Retriever Championship
* NGSPA Championship
* Official U.S. Gun Dog Team, 2004 National Countrysports Fair,
Northern Ireland
* Vizsla Nationals & Specialty
* Weimaraner Nationals & Winter Specialty
Other facts regarding Iams and past support:
* The Iams Company is the only dog food company to support the
Armbruster Test, an international hunt test for Deutsche Drahthaars.
* The Iams Company is the only dog food company to financially support
the quail restoration project on the Ames Plantation, home to the National
Bird Dog Championship and for many years we have commissioned original oil
paintings by Ross B. Young, of the National Champion Bird Dog.
* We conducted the Iams Retriever Symposium for breeders and trainers
of retrievers and also support Team Eukanuba Seminars around the country.
* We support Quail Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, The Ruffed Grouse
Society, and Ducks Unlimited.
* We publish Care and Nutrition of the Sporting Dog, one of the only
manuals for hunters and field trialers.
* For over 20 years, The Iams Company has been the acknowledged leader
in nutritional research for performance dogs. We developed the only "in the
field" research study of pointing dogs and hunting performance.
Again, we appreciate you sharing your concern and for giving us the
opportunity to respond. If you need further information or have specific
questions, please contact Consumer Care at 800-525-4267. We are available
Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. If you prefer, please email us anytime!
Best regards,
Marti Hissong
Iams Consumer Care NA
__________________
Venor ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
heres another peice from "The Outdoor Wire"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Iams Speaks
Earlier this month, we broke the story of a philosophical rift between Pointing Dog Journal and their affiliated publications and Iams pet food company. A rift serious enough that it led the editorial leaders for those publications to "fire" Iams as an advertiser. Not just any advertiser; their second-largest.
The nature of the disagreement was simple: the editorial staff of Pointing Dog Journal believed it was wrong to allow Iams to advertise in their magazines while the company supported the work of the Human Society of the United States (HSUS). If you're not familiar with HSUS, they're not the same hard-working folks who volunteer and staff your local humane societies. The HSUS is vehemently anti-hunting and works whenever possible to support severe limits - or bans - on hunting.
Last year, Iams underwrote a series of big-city pet events called "Pet Fests". Here's the rub: HSUS used these events to hand out their anti-hunting literature in addition to offering information - useful information, apparently - to owners and would-be pet owners attending these "Pet Fests." To the editorial decision makers at Pointing Dog Journal, that was a move they simply didn't feel they could tolerate. But that wasn't the only connection they discovered between Iams and HSUS: a senior member of the HSUS sits on an advisory board with Iams. That was the linkage that broke the proverbial camel's back with PDJ. After several meetings with Iams failed to resolve their differences to the magazine's satisfaction; the decision was made to disqualify Iams from future advertising. To fire a major advertiser isn't a small step in today's tight publishing economy. But, the publications felt that not "taking the economic hit" and allowing Iams to continue advertising would be to "sell out their readership" - consequently, they told us they simply "had no other choice".
This story has continued to spread as hunting and working dog organizations across the United States - as well as owners of regular dogs - have made their displeasure known to Iams. There's no public accounting of how many people have contacted Iams thus far, but company representatives admit the number was "significant" and broad-based.
Outdoor Wire publisher Jim Shepherd spoke late last week with Kelly Vanesse of the Iams/P&G External Relations department. Rather than attempt to wind that conversation into a story, we've decided to simply allow you to read their conversation. As you read, however, please realize that this is an ongoing story - at the admission of both parties. It is not a conversation that provides an ending to this story.
TOW: Kelly, it seems Iams has gotten a lot of heat over Pet Fest. What's the story?
Vanesse: As we get started, let me say this: the official word is that we will not be funding Pet Fest any further. We appreciate the feedback and apologize for the frustration.
TOW: So how did this happen?
Vanesse: Iams is all about pet education and nutrition. We got into Pet Fests to educate pet owners.
TOW: Did you know HSUS was going to distribute anti-hunting literature?
Vanesse: Iams is "pro-dog". We are not "anti-hunting." We want the sporting dog community to keep their eyes on us - we are not anti- hunting.
TOW: So have you patched things up with the magazines? Are you going to be allowed to advertise again?
Vanesse: We are talking with Steve (Smith) regularly. I'm talking with him on a frequent basis. As an advertiser, we're trying to get back.
TOW: Is that a yes, they're taking our advertising again?
Vanesse: No, we're still talking. But we're in an ongoing process."
TOW: So what about the advisory board? Are you going to change its makeup?
Vanesse: The advisory board is independent and only concerned with the welfare and care of the animals used in our nutritional study. The people were selected for their expertise. We are extremely concerned about our test dogs. When pets are finished with our studies, we see that they're adopted into homes. As I said, we're "pro-dog ."
TOW: So what about the sporting dog community's concerns about undue influence from the anti-hunting groups?
Vanesse: We are looking forward to getting experts from the sporting dog community involved. We're working to make sure we do address the particular needs of sporting and working dogs at Iams. I'm not certain how that will happen, it may be another group of experts from the sporting and working dog community will make sure we're making the best product possible for their dogs.
TOW: Will Iams continue to support the sporting dog community despite this decision?
Vanesse: Iams is a big supporter of the sporting dog community. We sponsor more than twenty national events per year, plus regional and local communities. We have a good presence in the sporting dog community.
TOW: So what's the end goal in this situation:
Vanesse: Our end goal - is to respectfully ask that Steve Smith let us advertise again.
TOW: Is this story over at that point?
Vanesse: I don't think that's for me to say. I hope so.
Well I never knew about the boycott.lol IAMS is all we have ever fed our dog. We got our dog as a puppy at the pound and when you adopt a pet at the local pound, IAMS gives you some dog food, coupons, information about puppies, etc. You could fill out a short form about you and the dog and send it to them. Shortly after I sent that form in, I recieved another package of stuff from IAMS and included in the package was several coupons for $3 of a bag of IAMS dog food. That is a pretty hefty coupon! And periodically we have recieved more coupons from them in the mail. They have sure won me over as a customer.
Soooo, I'm glad to hear they are dropping ties with the HSUS!
__________________
Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.
I got the same email this morning, I had written them an email when I first heard about thier ties to HSUS, I let them know that there were a lot of hunters who owned dogs and used IAMs, I have a feeling though that this was a business decesion and not one due to the emails they got. They knuckled under when some folks told them they could advertise in their publications.
__________________
The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
Hey, this is a step in the right direction. I know we (hunters in general) bombarded them with angry emails, but I didn't expect them to take action so quickly. As the saying goes, "united we stand, divided we fall". It holds true for freedom, whether in the capital or in the timber.
IAMS cuts ties with HSUS
