Canny canines

Researchers in Wisconsin have discovered that stout brand Guinness’s former claim that the drink is ‘good for you’ may actually have some scientific grounding. Initial test results suggest that there may be antioxidants present that reduce clotting in narrowed arteries, a potential contributor to heart disease. Alcohol in any form can manage this, however comparative tests with lager showed that the Guinness had a positive effect while lager had no impact at all. They subjected dogs with narrowed arteries to a little over a pint a day of either Guinness or Lager to measure the effects.

So far so interesting, but what is exercising Brand Strategy’s little grey cells is this: The researchers in America chose to conduct this experiment on dogs.
While Brand Strategy is aware of the ethical debate over animal testing regarding medicines and chemicals destined for human consumption, it is a little fuzzier over the pros and cons of testing pints of beer on dogs. The question foremost on our lips is : could they find no human subjects willing to sample a pint of beer a day in the interests of science?