Newsletters - The Defender
Spring 2010 Issue

Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"


Rabbits, Hamsters, Pigs, ... die in Epidemic of Lab Blunders -- USDA takes no action, again!

As earlier articles in this issue of The Defender have disclosed, SAEN’s ongoing investigation of U.S. labs has brought to light an epidemic of negligent deaths and abuse of dogs, cats, and primates. But, these species are not the only victims ravaged by the negligence of U.S. labs.

On October 27, 2009, a USDA inspection cited Dartmouth College (NH) for incompetence in improperly euthanizing a hamster who was later discovered running loose in a carcass freezer.

During a USDA inspection occurring on February 2, 2009, The University of the South - Sewanee (TN) was cited twice for inadequate monitoring of experiments by an internal oversight committee. The citations revolve around an incident which occurred in an environmental studies class when a raccoon was shot in the head to retrieve a radio-collar.

Stanford University (CA) was written up in a USDA inspection report dated October 7, 2009. The offenses stem from negligent surgical procedures and follow-up. Incidents include a pig dying suspiciously following surgery, a second animal needlessly bleeding to death during surgery, and a third animal pointlessly asphyxiating when an oxygen tank ran out during surgery.

A USDA report dated August, 2009, cited the University of Connecticut for the death of a rabbit at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. This caused the lab to be written-up for unqualified personnel.

In August of 2008, the University of California, Santa Barbara, was cited for a project in which researchers circumvented the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee to alter a protocol allowing animals “that were apparently suffering from significant health issues” to be used. Because of poor health, many of these animals died during the procedures or had to be killed shortly thereafter.

The University of Minnesota was cited in May of 2009 for the death of a rabbit which was first discovered by a USDA inspector. The rabbit had died without receiving veterinary treatment, despite the fact that animal care staff had reported signs of illness to the principal investigator.

Check out the article titled, “SAEN calls on Secretary of Agriculture to Take Action,” for ways to fight for an end to these animals’ unnecessary suffering and deaths.


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