Media release: Raw Meaty Bone Lobby of Concerned Veterinarians, 5 March 1997

Pet food front

There is a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' roaming through Australian primary schools.

Masquerading as an educational organisation the 'Petcare Information and Advisory Service' (PIAS) was exposed by Stuart Littlemore (Media Watch 3/3/97) as:
"nothing more than a front for the multi-national pet food manufacturer Mars, through its Australian subsidiary Uncle Bens."

Media Watch demonstrated how a PIAS vet targeted the listeners of the ABC Radio National Science Show with a "crudely subtle pitch". Littlemore said, "Jonica Newby didn't tell us to buy Pal in so many words, but to keep pets. Well we have to buy food for them don't we?"

If the Science Show audience, made up of scientists and administrators, can be duped what hope is there for our primary school children?

PIAS visits schools with its 'flip charts' carefully programming our children to become docile consumers of Uncle Bens products.

A particularly disturbing development is the use of a programme called 'PetPEP'.
Purported to be an educational programme this is a joint Australian Veterinary Association, PIAS venture. There is a classroom module for each of years K to 6 complete with activity suggestions and PIAS/Selectapet promotional material.

Many issues are raised by this woeful state of affairs. Apart from the obvious indoctrination issues there is the matter of artificial pet foods damaging the health of our pets, the national economy and the natural environment.

These matters have been repeatedly drawn to the attention of the relevant authorities but they refuse to act. Why?

Petcare Information and Advisory Services/Selectapet offices can be contacted at:
Vic (head office) 03 9827 5344,
NSW 02 9212 6024,
SA 08 829 74067,
Qld 07 3254 0145,
WA 09 386 6963,
Tas 1800 331 783.

Raw Meaty Bones Lobby Contacts:
Dr Tom Lonsdale, Riverstone, NSW Tel. 02 9627 4011
E-mail: tom@rawmeatybones.com
Internet: http://www.rawmeatybones.com/
Dr Alan Bennet, Bligh Park, NSW Tel. 045 87 7177
E-mail: bennet@zeta.org.au
Dr Ian Billinghurst, Lithgow, NSW Tel. 063 522 822
Dr Breck Muir, Long Jetty, NSW Tel. 043 32 6026