Complaint filed after three research dogs euthanized at Purdue University
Media Coverage About SAEN Stop Animal Exploitation Now

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Contact:

Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Western Region, USDA
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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."

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