Allegheny College student gets 'appropriate disciplinary action' following animal neglect
From Keith Gushard, MeadvillTribune.com, June 13, 2019
A female Allegheny College student received "appropriate disciplinary
action" and her on-campus research project was terminated in early March for
animal neglect, the college confirmed Wednesday.
The actions were taken after it was discovered she tossed out two live
Sprague-Dawley rat pups and disposed of 12 other dead ones covertly,
according to an incident report dated March 6.
The college self-reported the incident to the National Institute of Health's
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. A copy of the incident report was given
to The Meadville Tribune by Stop Animal Exploitation Now, a nonprofit group
based in Milford, Ohio, that monitors U.S. research facilities for illegal
behavior and animal abuse.
The incident took place March 2 at the college's Carnegie Hall, according to
the report.
"Corrective action was immediately taken and the care of the animals was
transferred to a staff member who is an animal research specialist and
student access to the animal colony was revoked," the report said. The
college's Animal Research Committee met March 5 and "voted unanimously to
suspend and terminate the previously approved animal research protocol."
Ron Cole, the college's provost and dean, met with the Animal Research
Committee's chair and agreed with the vote — "that particular animal
research protocol has been suspended and terminated and the student is no
longer conducting research with vertebrate animals on campus," the report
said.
In a statement emailed to the Tribune on Wednesday, Cole confirmed the
Animal Research Committee investigated and found a violation of policy
occurred.
"The college self-reported the incident with the appropriate documentation
to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare and the case was resolved," Cole
said in the statement. "Our animal research program has been, and still is,
in good standing with all federal offices that regulate animal welfare.
Appropriate disciplinary action was taken against the student involved."
Cole declined to identify the student, whether she still was an Allegheny
College student or what actions were taken against her.
"While the college is not able to provide any additional information on this
matter, I can offer assurance that we take animal care very seriously," Cole
said. "In this case we took swift action, reported the incident openly to
the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, and will continue to follow and
enforce relevant protocol and policies."
Michael A. Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now, has
written the college, calling for the expulsion of the student if she still
is enrolled at Allegheny.
If the student is pursuing further education in the life sciences, then the
report of Allegheny College incident should be forwarded to the school where
she currently is enrolled, Budkie said.
"Anyone who would throw living animals out like trash should never be
permitted to have anything to do with animals again," Budkie said. "This
kind of total disregard for life must not be tolerated.”