ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Western Region, USDA
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, for
their blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act when their negligence
allowed caused the deaths of two squirrels. Their behavior should NOT be
tolerated and MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Feds cite UW-Oshkosh for breaking law, death of research subjects; national watchdog urges maximum fine
From WisPolitics.com, November 11, 2020
OSHKOSH, WI – The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has slapped the University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a rare “CRITICAL” citation for violating federal law
under the Animal Welfare Act in connection to the escape and death of two
squirrels and the escape of two other squirrels, according to a report
obtained by a national research watchdog group.
The inspection report for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh reveals that
four ground squirrels escaped from their enclosure leading to the “necessary
euthanasia” of two of the squirrels. The report also indicates that the
laboratory still does not know how the squirrels escaped.
SAEN, an Ohio-based nonprofit watchdog group that monitors U.S. research
facilities for illegal activity and animal abuse, has filed an Official
Complaint with the USDA alleging multiple federal violations and calling for
the opening of a USDA investigation of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
SAEN is also urging the leveling of the maximum federal fine of $10,000 per
infraction/per animal.
“The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh not only allowed four squirrels to
escape, leading to the death of two of them,” said Stacey Ellison, SAEN
research analyst, “but instead of ensuring that the illegal and unsafe
situation was definitely fixed, they just made the room safer for the next
time it happens.”