P & G Kills Suspicions of P&G's Agenda Still Remain For Immediate Release
30 June 2000Mill Valley, CA...Elliot Katz, DVM, President of In Defense of Animals (IDA) has expressed concern over Procter & Gamble's (P&G) announcement that it will end its use of animals in tests on "current beauty, fabric and home care, and paper products."
"I have grave concerns over P&G limiting themselves to current products," said Dr. Katz. "Because of their unwillingness in the past to divulge the number of animals used and the types of tests they are conducting, I am quite leery of their announcement. IDA is calling on them for a letter of clarification, and we are still asking them to be open and let the public know the number of animals that they needlessly torture and kill every year."
"In my past meetings with P&G officials, their reasons for testing products on animals were to gain an edge over the competition," said Dr. Katz. "It has been their competitive nature in the past that has led to enormous suffering and it is inherent corporate greed that is allowing them to continue torturing animals on future products. There is always apprehension that such grand statements are made for public relations reasons as opposed to concern and compassion for the animals. Because they have been disingenuous in the past, there is reason to be leery now."
According to Dr. Katz, P&G's tests on animals includes the use of thousands of rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, mice and rats each year in tests on cosmetic and household products testing these products on animals is not required by law. Presently, over 500 companies have chosen to be cruelty-free by not testing any of their products on animals.
"We have been fighting the rhetoric and stubbornness of P&G for quite a few years," said Dr. Katz. "This is definitely a victory for the animal rights movement, but more importantly, it is a victory for the millions of animals in our nationís labs who are tortured and killed every year in needless tests. However, at this time, we are still advocating that people not buy P&G products."
IDA first began an international boycott against Procter & Gamble for its unnecessary use of animals in consumer and household products testing in 1989. In 1997, IDA helped to launch the Global Day of Action Against Procter & Gamble. In 1999, over 65 events took place in over 22 U.S. cities and 10 countries.
For more information, please contact:
In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto Suite E
MIll Valley, CA 94941
phone: (415) 388 9641
fax: (415) 388 0388
email: ida@idausa.org
www.idausa.org