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"
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 |
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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.
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