Watchdog Group Files Official Complaint Against UF; 24 Animals dead, others denied treatment

Press Release
From Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"



Thank you!

Please contact the USDA to insist on a major fine for University of Florida for the negligence which killed two dozen animals.

Dr. Elizabeth Goldentyer
USDA/APHIS/AC 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 2000 Raleigh, NC 27606 
919) 855-7100
[email protected]

See PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 15, 2014
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN, 513-703-9865

Watchdog Group Files Official Complaint Against UF; 24 Animals dead, others denied treatment
 
GAINESVILLE, FL – A National Research Watchdog group, SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation NOW), has filed an Official Complaint against the University of Florida (UF) for multiple animal deaths and failure to provide adequate animal care.
 
UF correspondence obtained by SAEN reveals multiple incidents which involved animal deaths and/or failure to provide adequate veterinary treatment, as prescribed by their own staff.
 
One recent incident involved a dog that was diagnosed with glaucoma, with treatment prescribed by veterinary staff.  A UF veterinary technician failed to provide treatment and was "suspended from unsupervised care of dogs and her access to the Veterinary Medicine Metabolic Building will be revoked."  The technician had another non-compliance on this same protocol in 2012.  UF administration investigated the incident, but it is notable that "Before completion of the investigation, the PI [Principal Investigator] resigned his position and left the University."
 
Earlier incidents involved the death of a rabbit: " . . . rabbit had expired and was hanging out of the cage through the cage door."  Additionally, three goats died and nineteen were euthanized due to severe anemia.
 
The USDA had previously cited the University of Florida for the death of a newborn puppy due to a failure to feed the neonate by UF staff.  Other serious UF incidents involved mouse deaths due to starvation or lack of monitoring.  Living rats and mice (one of whom was partially decapitated) have been discovered in UF carcass freezers.  However, rats and mice were not discussed in the complaint because they are not regulated by the USDA.
 
“Negligence by UF staff killed a newborn puppy, denied treatment to another dog, and led to the suffering and death of twenty-two goats and a rabbit” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN. “This facility should face serious consequences for the deaths of these animals,” he said.  “It's clear that the UF officials who are responsible for supervising animal experiments are not doing their jobs.”
 
"If UF staff fails to provide adequate care for animals during experimentation, and also fails to follow their own protocols, why should we believe that they are capable of doing anything that even roughly resembles science?" added Budkie.
 
All federal reports and correspondence are available upon request from SAEN.
 
-30-

See also:

Return to Press Releases


We welcome your comments and questions