Can You Turn My Dog's Poop Pink?
The Iams Company Reports More Fun Calls to Iams Customer Service
Courtesy of The Iams Company

Dayton, Ohio – (December 22, 1999) – "How many calories in a mouse?" and "What should I feed a borderline collie?" were just a few of the wacky questions that the Iams Pet Professionals fielded from pet owners last year. The last year of the century was another bumper year for weird and wonderful calls to The Iams Company's pet care hotline. These are the team's favorite calls in 1999 to 1-800-863-IAMS (4267):

• "I have trouble seeing what I'm scooping in my yard. Can your food turn my dog's poop pink?" – dog owner, Ronkonkoma, NY.

• "Is your cat food good for urinal infections?" – cat owner, San Jose, CA.

• "My two-year-old daughter loves the taste of Iams – is it okay for her to eat it?" – mother, Staten Island, NY.

• "What's the best way to get super-glue off my dog's paws?" – dog owner, Arlington, TX.

• "Can a dog get claustrophobia?" – dog owner, Cambridge, MA.

• "My dog growls in his sleep – do you think he could have a vitamin B deficiency?" – dog owner, Puyallup, WA.

• "I think if my dog received mail, it would build his character. Can I register him on your mailing list?" – dog owner, Richmond, VA.

• "How do I potty train my pot belly pig?" – pot belly pig owner, Vero Beach, FL.

• "What's up with my cat? She looks at me strangely when I sing and dance for her." – cat owner, New York, NY.

• "I have two new kittens and I don't want to leave them home alone. Can I carry them around in my gym bag?" – new kitten owner, Brooklyn, NY.

• "I'm thinking of setting up a kennel, and I was wondering... how much poop can 50 dogs make in one year?" – dog owner, Davis, CA.

• "My son just sold me a subscription to the Iams Your Cat Magazine. But you tell me it's free?" – concerned mom, Englewood, OH.

• "When my dog pees, he leaves brown patches all over the lawn. Is he peeing fire?" – dog owner, Covington, KY.

• "I raise worms – the world's most perfect protein source. How 'bout using them in your food?" – worm farmer, Long Barn, OH.

• "I can smell my cat's urine and tell what cat food brand she's eating. Can you use this talent at Iams?" – cat owner, Sacramento, CA.

"When these types of calls come in, it's hard to keep a straight face," says Sally Northcutt, manager of Customer Service, The Iams Company. "But we know that most of the time we have a customer on the phone who is genuinely concerned for his or her pet. Our sole purpose is to help pet owners with their questions, so however strange those questions may seem, we try our best to answer them."

"Iams Customer Service reps undergo continuous training to stay current on developments in pet care and nutrition," says Northcutt. "And we're all pet owners ourselves, with 43 dogs and 17 cats between us."

For more than 50 years, The Iams Company has enhanced the health and well being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods. For more information on proper pet care and nutrition, call The Iams Pet Professionals toll free at 1-800-863-4267, Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m., Eastern Standard Time. You can also visit Iams on the Web at www.iams.com.