ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Animal Welfare Operations, USDA-APHIS
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against Sam Houston State University for their
blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act which led to the deaths of ten
cows due to dehydration. Their behavior should NOT be tolerated and MUST be
punished to the fullest extent of the law.
National animal rights group alleges animal negligence at Sam Houston State
From Joseph Brown, CNHI.com, September 22, 2021
SAEN, an Ohio-based animal rights watchdog, is calling for investigations
into Sam Houston State University’s animal teaching practices, citing the
“negligent” deaths of 10 cows.
The group filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
alleging that the cow deaths at the Gibbs Ranch violated the federal Animal
Welfare Act, which regulates laboratories, colleges and universities who use
animals “for research, tests, experiments, or teaching.”
Obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, an SHSU report states:
“10 beef bulls died in the field due to no water.” The research
administration at SHSU suspended the project, and the individual responsible
for the project has been replaced, the report said. “
SAEN alleges that the animal deaths, and the botched/suspended protocol,
violate multiple federal regulations for watering, reporting, and protocol
supervision by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
The federal complaint filed with the USDA calls for a full investigation and
a federal fine of $10,000 per infraction/per animal, or $100,000.
“What kind of an example does this incident give the students of the Animal
Science program at Sam Houston State University,” said SAEN Executive
Director Michael A. Budkie. “Negligence like this must be punished.”
Following the incident, the university created multiple daily checkups for
animal welfare, availability of feed/ supplement resources and water
availability to the animals.
“The welfare of all animals used in Sam Houston State University research is
a top priority and an equally important part of our ethical responsibility,”
university officials said in a statement. “Committed to transparency and
immediate action, SHSU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee was
convened to investigate after receiving notification of the incident. …
Beyond what laws and regulations dictate, we recognize that animals are
living creatures that deserve to be treated with care and compassion. We are
committed to ensuring the well-being of our animals.”