Pomegranates are Wonderful; Animal Testing Isn't

On September 10, 2006, PO wrote:

Is it true that Stew Leonards carries this product in the Norwalk stores and the Danbury CT stores. I may be mistaken but truly doubt it.

[Blog editors’ note: The POM drinks are everywhere, Wild Oats, Stop & Shop. They’re widely distributed. There are several good alternatives,

On September 10, 2006, Susan wrote:

Here’s a copy of my letter to the company

Dear POM Wonderful,

There is only one book you must read if you want to know whether animal testing has EVER produced any worthwhile results. It is: “Sacred Cows and Golden Geese: The Human Cost of Experiments on Animals,” by C. Ray and Jean S. Greek. The authors are a doctor of medicine and a veterinarian, respectively. Their website is www.curedisease.com and they are based in California.

If you do not bother to learn truth from falsehood by reading their definitive book, it will prove to me that you choose to remain misguided by fallacies, not to mention lack compassion for all species. In which case I will be happy to NOT buy your products, and to nofify my extensive list of friends of this boycott opportunity.

Please board the humane train. You’ll find the ride ever so much more comfortable, safe, and profitable (for all) than the bumpy ride that is yours when you choose to act unethically.

Sincerely,

[I also indicated to POM that I’ll be spending a week in the LA area soon — and would be happy to ask my many friends there to boycott the company.]

On September 10, 2006, Eric Karanjawala wrote:

Stop wasting your money. May GOD … let animals live in peace forever.
Eric.

On September 10, 2006, A.G.S. wrote:

I really don’t like the POM juice but ill let others in my school know not to drink it. (i get headaches from the stuff anyways lol )

On September 11, 2006, Mohannad wrote:

Really i dont know how these kinds of people think, are they interested when they saw that the animals are suffering during their cruel experiment the animals have the rights to live and we must protect its’ freedom. And also the government must prevent these experiments.

On September 11, 2006, Dawn Maykowski wrote:

OMG with the marvels of medical science you think trial studies would be performed on volunteer human subjects to see the effects on them, animals are not the same as us, and they react diffrently to things than humans do. Leave these precious beautiful lives alone, animals are living breathing creatures with thoughts feelings and they deserve the same rights and respects that humans have.

On September 11, 2006, Atia Jarnstedt wrote:

I have just written a letter to the company. My husband and I love pomegranate juice; besides tasting good, it also has many health benefits. After learning that such cruel animal tests are performed for a “mere” juice (is nothing safe from animal testing any more?), we will not buy POM brand ever again - even if and when they stop their unnecessary animal testing!

They’ve lost good customers, and I told them so!

On September 11, 2006, laurie rozgonyi wrote:

I live in Jacksonville, Fl., & the stores here do sell the POM juices. I have been drinking it, with some of my friends. We won’t drink it anymore!

[Blog editors’ note: Odwalla sells pomegranate juice in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores, and Wild Oats also sells its own brand in their stores.

On September 11, 2006, Linda B wrote:

I’ve tried their product, but now get my juices from Trader Joe’s - for a much better price.

We already know that drinking this juice is a good thing. I kind of doubt that it will solve the problems of people with brain injuries, or erectile dysfunction. What a waste of money, and a shame for those hapless lab animals. That money can be better spent of animal welfare, and helping people who don’t have health insurance.

I’ll be writing them a letter.

On September 11, 2006, Bill Zodanga wrote:

Here is a copy of email I sent to them.

I had just started drinking Pomegranate juice (and coincidently, your brand of juice) for the reported health benefits and now I find out your company is supporting animal research/testing. That is not acceptable to me and therefore I will no longer be buying your product unless you stop (and it would go a long way if you also funded an animal welfare/rescue type organization to the tune of $15 mil you spent callously funding research to use/abuse animals).

Excerpt of what I’m taking about as below:

“According to an April 2006 report in The New York Times Magazine, POM Wonderful owners Lynda Resnick and Stewart Resnick have funded $15 million in research on the health benefits of pomegranate juice. Friends of Animals members were stunned to learn that some of this money went to animal testing.

POM Wonderful has supported tests published in June 2005 on the effects of the juice on brain injuries in mice and on erectile dysfunction in rabbits.

“POM Wonderful should and can be mindful of the health of all species, not just our own,” said Friends of Animals president Priscilla Feral.

“Why not simply support and cite studies on human populations?””

Good question that last, why not only use human populations? It’s ridiculous that I have to boycott a company that makes a good, healthy, fruit juice product because of animal testing! Stick with humans and fruit and leave animals out of things!

On September 12, 2006, Lesa Major wrote:

If you products was a pure and wholesome there would be no need to animal test. I bought your products a couple times and will never purchase it again. I will also tell all my friends and family about how your company animal test, and be sure when I am at the grocery store if I see anyone near your juice, I will tell them about how the company amimal test your juice. God didn’t put animals on earth to animal teat and abuse, leave them alone!

On September 13, 2006, Ali wrote:

I’ve never tried the juice, and just today in the grocery store I was considering it, thanks to this information, I won’t even give it a chance. I support the boycott 100%.

-Ali

On September 14, 2006, Sierra wrote:

Below is my letter to the company:

Dear Sirs:

I have been a POM drinker for some time now and have encouraged friends to purchase your product many times. Today, I have found out to my utter dismay, that your company’s owners Lynda & Stewart Resnick have funded 15 million dollars for research on the health benefits of pomegranate juice and some of the money will go towards animal research.

This to me is appalling and unacceptable. Furthermore, due to the DNA differences in species, I would not trust any data that you derive from your animal tests, as I have read much on the subject and can provide to you 30 intelligent reasons why animal testing is not viable anymore in this day and age. What is further upsetting, is that I considered POM a socially responsible company. I’m obviously terribly mistaken.

Unless, I receive proof contrary to what I currently know, I will be boycotting you company. I will also be posting this information in the Mail Room of my building which is inhabited by more than 500 tenants. I also plan to ask the managers of my local grocery stores to stop carrying your product and get this news out to all my friends and family. I plan on making myself heard until I hear your company has decided to end participating in the barbaric treatment and misleading results of Animal Testing. Stick to studying humans, we are the ones that drink your juice. Leave the animals out of this and learn that the future of research lies outside of animal experimentation.

Perhaps drinking POM may give you some health benefits. However, taking into account the decisions being made at your company by its owners, I think drinking the juice can be attributed to rendering them BRAIN DEAD. Add that to your research!

On September 14, 2006, barbara cockrum wrote:

i don’t understand why animals are ever used for testing anything if it needs to be tested advertise and people will be glad to test it for a few dollars. I’ve tried Pom its already on the market but I won’t ever buy it again. Most people won’t buy it because of the price. If people want it they will buy it why should it be tested on animals. Leave them alone they were not put on earth for man to use for research. I hope someday man has to answer for what they have done to animals.

On September 21, 2006, Donna wrote:

Thanks to Friends of Animals, I no longer will be purchasing anything POM Wonderful. I love their juice and have been drinking it for quite some time now, but I don’t see the need for animal testing. I have found a good and cheaper alternative juice(Langers Pomegranate Cranberry 100).

On September 22, 2006, lizzie wrote:

People animal testing is just wrong , and giving or taking money to allow this is insane and it needs to be stop by our goverment and there needs to be some new laws to help save all the animals in this world. This is so sad and people need to start helping animals and stop abuseing them before there are no more left.

On September 25, 2006, sherry wrote:

i wish they all would stop hurting animals all together they are a natural order of this world they belong here for a reason just like the trees and and other natural resources your destroying animals and nature you are also destroying the world along with it

On October 4, 2006, D wrote:

Would we really consider odwalla to be a viable alternative? They’re owned by McD’s afterall.

Just buy a pomegranate, I spose.

[Blog editors’ note: Lakewood juice is organic and might be another option. The company’s site claims that “Lakewood is a family-owned processor and bottler of quality organic and premium fruit juices.” The juice is widely distributed and the offerings include cranberry-pomegranate and blueberry-pomegranate blends.]

On October 21, 2006, jess wrote:

I think that this is very cruel. If I had one wish I would make it a law that you can’t hurt any animals including insects.Animal testing is very mean!!!! They should put them back to where they belong not in cages with a 50 50 chance that your going to die! I hope God will help all the animals that he created plus the people that he created to make the right choice in a job.
HELP THE WORLD BE A SAFE PLACE TO ANIMALS!!

On January 9, 2007, Princess Stacey wrote:

I loveLOVElove pomegranates & its juicy flavor.

I was not aware that animal testing was used to make this juice so therefore i’m saying no to POM juice & i will not drink it anymore.

Thank you for informing me about this issue.

Sincerely,

Princess (the non juicy drinker)

On January 15, 2007, Allie wrote:

I sent the following letter to the Boston Globe after seeing their article on POM. I also sent a copy to POM with an alternatives to animal testing fact sheet. I urge everyone to send more letters to The Boston Globe and OTHER media sources to help inform consumers about POM and their unethical practices.

Letter:

January 15, 2007


Boston Globe
P.O. Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819
Via Email and Fax (617) 929-2098

RE: Article publish date: December 10, 2006
Article Title: A Pomegranate sows seeds of popularity

Dear Editor:


I recently read your article titled “Pomegranate sows seeds of popularity” dated December 10, 2006. I think you should be advised of the testing practices POM uses to support their product’s health claims. I urge you, as an influential media source, to make sure you provide your readers with all the necessary and accurate information needed to help make them conscientious and informed consumers. I am confident your readers would like to know who POM has achieved their test results used in supporting the benefits of their products.

According to an April 2006 report in The New York Times Magazine, POM Wonderful owners Lynda Resnick and Stewart Resnick have funded $15 million in research on the health benefits of pomegranate juice; some of this money went to animal testing.
POM Wonderful has supported tests published in June 2005 on the effects of the juice on brain injuries in mice and on erectile dysfunction in rabbits.

Other companies, such as Naked Juice, Frutzzo, Old Orchard, and Lakewood, make delicious and healthy 100 percent pomegranate juice without harming a single animal, yet POM has paid experimenters to do the following:

(1) Lock week old mouse pups whose mothers were fed pomegranate juice in a chamber with almost no oxygen for 45 minutes in order to induce severe brain damage. The babies were decapitated, and their brains were removed for study.

(2) Critically damage the arteries of rabbits in order to simulate erectile dysfunction a bizarre attempt to suggest that drinking pomegranate juice might alleviate this ailment.

(3) Induce heart disease (atherosclerosis) in mice who were fed POM the mice were then killed and cut open to examine their hearts.

Please look further into this matter and revise your story as you see fit.
Thank you for your attention to this very serious matter.

Caring Consumer

cc: POM Wonderful11444 West Olympic Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90064

On February 14, 2007, Simon Kelly wrote:

Have you seen the letter that POM have sent out to the shop keepers? Disgusting in my opinion…

http://www.energygrid.com/action/2007/01-pom.html

[Blog editors’ note: In the link above you can see a copy of the letter POM Wonderful sent retailers claiming the company had stopped testing on animals. Simon is correct to say the letter is “disgusting.” Yet others have claimed it to be a “victory.” The linked site comes to the conclusion that consumers should continue to avoid POM Wonderful products. Friends of Animals made a similar statement in an update posted to this page days prior.]

On February 21, 2007, kea wrote:

POM’s evil dont buy products that support the unnessasery suffering of helpless animals!

On February 28, 2007, Shannon Shirley wrote:

…EW! Oh my goodness, thank you so much for this information.

Shannon Shirley

On June 29, 2007, Bliss wrote:

i think animal testing is wrong and something should be done about, obvoiusly we cant stop it ourselves as we do not have enough power, all over the world there are protests against animal testing and alot of people wish they could do something about it,It has to be stressed that it is certainly not essential for tests to be carried out on animals. There is nowhere in this world where beauty products are required to be animal tested by law. Most laws nowadays state that cosmetics must be suitable for human use, but there is no mention on animal testing,although i am a child i think most people would agree with a teenager and that the goverment should sort it out, animals dont need to suffer the way they are made to,they have rights like us

this is cause for a non violent protest

thanks

On January 11, 2008, ronald shaffer wrote:

i just finished a bottle today and told my son about the benefits BUTTTTTTT…i will make my own or eat the fruit itself.do we test apple juice,cranberry grape,its a fruit for petes sake leave the animals alone.im a vietnam vet and seen to much and the only thing you see is the MONEY…there are other ways of testing for erectile issues ,prostrate cancer,heart.use your money wisely…we have science,doctors etc.you know the fruit is beneficial its not rocket science…15,000,000 please!!!!!!there are better ways to spend that kind of money…educating the public about nutrition …diet sodas ,new mothers help them with their newborns to eat healthier..they need your help…BUT KNOW YOU THINK OF ONLY ONE THINGMONEY YOURE OWN LIFESTYLE,youre trainer,pedicure,manicure(this applies to both genders).so when you look at the animal tested and see the pain does that excite you like laughing all the way to the bank…i cant tolerate people that do that.if you have a adorable family pet lets test him/she OH I FORGOT LETS TEST “IT” that way we can justify the cruelty….do you enjoy watching?dont know what else to say but this will start me in a different direction “eating pomegrantes”fresh!!!!

On February 9, 2008, Ashlee wrote:

When animals are tested on, they are thrown in cages, kept in captivity, shown no love. Fear, pain, lonlyness.. are all the things going through their minds. HOW COULD somebody actually let something that is living and breathing be treated like absolute @#$# What the hell did animals do to people to deserve this, and like MANY people have said, animals aren’t exactly made up the same as humans, so if you test on a animal, and it is “safe” it may not be safe for a human. they may react differently to it. Animal testing is wrong, and shouldn’t be done. Test on humans.. stop hurting animals.