Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) Pet Food Debate
Held at Cambridge University October 24th 2007

According to AVS representative Alex Corbishley, the debate - “THIS house believes vets should advocate feeding manufactured pet foods" was prompted because the relationship between veterinary surgeons and pet food manufacturers was receiving increased public attention.
We consider this initiative by the AVS is a positive step and hope that others may follow suit.

A report of the debate was published in the Veterinary Times and subsequently a letter from Tom Lonsdale MRCVS (unedited version) was published on the Letters page of VT. Another letter for publication was sent by Roger Meacock MRCVS but was not published. A response to Tom Lonsdale’s letter was published in the Veterinary Times, but unfortunately we have not been given permission by the writer to publish that letter. However, a second letter from Roger Meacock MRCVS and also a second letter from Tom Lonsdale MRCVS have since been published.

After reading the above, please look at Vet School FOI Enquiries- these are just some of the replies UKRMB have received in answer to Freedom of Information enquiries. This information does not exactly tally with the comments in Veterinary Times by the spokesman for Cambridge University i.e. ‘Pet food manufacturers have absolutely no influence on what is taught.’ and also PFMA spokesperson Nicole Harrison who ‘refuted any inference that pet food companies had input into the syllabus taught to the students.’

In particular, please look at the 2005 correspondence from Edinburgh University (Royal Dick), pages 23/24, as just one example of the pet food manufacturers influence and input that apparently doesn’t exist in Veterinary Schools!

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