University of Louisville Negligence Kills Rabbits; USDA issues Federal Citations

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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 23, 2010
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN, 513-575-5517
Attn: News Desk

University of Louisville Negligence Kills Rabbits; USDA issues Federal Citations

LOUISVILLE, KY – Recently obtained federal reports reveal major violations of the Animal Welfare Act within the labs of the University of Louisville (UL), according to the national research watchdog group SAEN. UL received 8 federal citations in two successive inspections in May and June of this year.

During June of 2010 UL received 4 federal citations from the United States Department of Agriculture for violating the Animal Welfare Act. The violations involved inadequate supervision of experimentation by UL’s Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC). One episode centered around the administration of a drug at 150% of the approved level, killing 4 – 6 rabbits. Other episodes involved depriving animals of water, and the suspension of at least two research projects by UL administration. UL was also cited for yet another experiment, which cuts out pigs eyes,

During May of 2010 UL received 4 federal citations from the USDA, again for inadequate supervision of experimentation by the IACUC. One project involved injecting endotoxin into the eyes of rabbits. Another involved the unapproved use of a paralytic drug in calf surgeries. UL was also cited for performing surgeries in areas which are not aseptic, and for filing inaccurate reports with the USDA.

“Negligence at UL killed as many as 6 animals,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN. “This facility should face serious consequences for the deaths of these animals, but the USDA is literally allowing them to get away with murder,” he said.

“It is clear that the UL officials who are responsible for supervising animal research are not doing their jobs,” said Budkie. “What else is going on at UL that we don’t know about?”

According to SAEN the UL incidents are the latest part of a national pattern of negligent animal deaths in laboratories. Thirty-three labs have now killed over 125 animals within the last 1 ½ - 2 years.

The USDA inspection reports are available upon request from SAEN.

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See Also:
University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
USDA Inspection Report - 22 Jun 2010

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