What is food testing on animals?

Question

I recently ordered Innova dog and cat food for my pets. When they were delivered on the back of the food it says "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) procedures substantiate that Innova Food provides complete and balanced nutrition..."
I know Iams tests on animals also, in a "humane" way. But I do not like this at all. What do they do when they test on animals for food? I imagine animals kept in small cages all day long.

My choice is now to either feed them Innova, or go back to Purina because they don't test on animals,but they aren't as good a food.

Answer 1

quality, expensive, pet food generally IS tested on animals - they want to know whether the animals would eat it readily and thus it would sell well. as pet food is big business, this is big deal too - costly testing. dont thiink that if you feed some special diet/need formula it is different. maybe no-name brands are not tested? who knows?

you can try to contact the aafco agency as regards the living conditions of the tester animals and whether such tests are compulsory for pet food. i dont know about that - i only once read an article that they really pamper and spoil the tester animals, bacause they produce food for pampered pets that may be quite choosy. and that they monitor their health meticulously just in case the food caused just any ill effect in the long term as the company must be (at high cost) able to prove that it does not. this makes sense. after all, pet food is not suppose to be harmful, unlike all sort of drugs or cosmetics that are tested on unwilling animals.

Answer 2

Feed them science diet. It isn't tested on animals, and it's probably the best brand you can get.