ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Western Region, USDA
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against Purdue University for their blatant
disregard of the Animal Welfare Act when their negligence caused the deaths
of three dogs, and burned a fourth. Their behavior should NOT be tolerated
and MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Complaint filed after three research dogs euthanized at Purdue University
From Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier, May 29, 2020
Purdue researchers botched the process of synthesizing drugs, resulting in the deaths of three research dogs, according to a complaint filed Tuesday with the Animal Welfare Operations of the USDA.
Michael Budkie of Stop Animal Exploitation Now alleged in his complaint
that Purdue personnel doing research on the three dogs concocted a drug that
was impure. They then injected the drugs twice into the animals. Once on
Feb. 25, and again on Feb. 26.
The second dose was to determine how long the drug reduced blood pressure,
stated Christopher Agnew, associate vice president for research and
regulatory affairs at Purdue, in a March 26 letter to the director of
compliance at the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at the National
Institute of Health.
Purdue released a statement to the Journal & Courier about Budkie's
complaint.
"The university is deeply committed to the responsible conduct of research,
including the protection of animals used in connection with research,"
Purdue's prepared statement reads.
"The university received a report of unforeseen adverse events involving
research animals in February," the university stated. "Purdue’s laboratory
animal program investigated the matter immediately, working with the
research teams to identify the reasons for the adverse events and prevent
recurrence.
"The university self-reported the results of the investigation to federal
agencies in March, and stands ready to assist those agencies in any way
necessary to protect the welfare of the animals under its care."
Agnew's letter contained in Budkie's complaint is part of Purdue's
self-report of its investigation.
Agnew's letter gives a detail account of the three dogs' treatment and what
researchers learned from the dog's necropsies. It also indicates that the
dogs were not involved in any research funded by the National Institute of
Health.
Additionally, Agnew's letter details burns a fourth dog suffered because
personnel used a heating blanket while the dog was anesthetized for a
procedure, as well as the death of a privately owned dog who was at the
Purdue facility for treatment.
Budkie's complaint only addresses the three dogs given synthesized
blood-pressure medicine and the dog that was burned.
"These dogs were severely injured (kidney damage) because study personnel
seriously bungled drug synthesis, nor did they test the purity of the drug
before administering it," Budkie wrote in his complaint filed as president
of the grass-root advocacy group for laboratory animals.
Budkie, who has an animal health technology degree, said he and his wife,
Karen, incorporated the movement, which uses the acronym SAEN. They are
headquartered in Midland, Ohio.
SAEN routinely reviews reports filed by animal research laboratories and
files complaints when volunteers or the Budkies see possible abuses.
Budkie said past complaints have resulted in fines against laboratories and
universities, and in one case, the closing of a laboratory for its
practices.
The complaint filed against Purdue is the third time he's complained about
the West Lafayette researchers. The other two complaints were in 2017 and
2019, but he doesn't know how the complaints were resolved.
In 2017, Budkie filed a complaint against Purdue University about the death
of a pig during a surgical procedure and about the deaths of hamsters.
In 2019, Budkie complained to the USDA that its finding on its 2017
complaint was excused by labeling the errors as "teachable moments."
"They're not one of these that we monitor," Budkie said about Purdue's
researchers.
Typically, it takes about three years to get resolution on complaints,
Budkie said.
In Tuesday's complaint, Budkie wrote, "If (Purdue researchers) had tested
for purity, they would have realized that the drug was 97.1 percent
impurities. These impurities comprised the contamination that caused the
kidney damage, leading to euthanasia.
" ... As a result of the ineptitude and bungling of Purdue University staff
one dog was burned and three dogs died," Budkie wrote in his complaint.
"Therefore, I hereby file an Official Complaint against Purdue University
(32-R-0007) for the deaths of three dogs and an injury to the fourth. I
insist that your office launch a full investigation of Purdue University
..., and at the end of your investigation of Purdue University ... they must
be penalized to the fullest extent of the law, a fine of $10,000 per
infraction/per animal. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future
about the fate of this facility."