USDA Probe cites UW for multiple animal deaths and 10 month denial of pain relief to 30; SAEN Applauds USDA Follow-up on Complaint
Press Release
From Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"
Please contact Dr. Robert Gibbens and demand that he take immediate action against the University of Washington for the negligence which killed 2 rabbits, 1 guinea pig, and denied adequate pain relief to 30 rabbits. Dr. Robert Gibbens Director, Western Region USDA/APHIS/A 2150 Center
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN 513-575-5517, 513-703-9865 (cell)
USDA Probe cites UW for multiple animal deaths & 10 month denial of pain
relief to 30; SAEN Applauds USDA Follow-up on Complaint
SEATTLE, WA – A USDA investigation of the University of Washington
which resulted from an Official Complaint filed by Research Watchdog
Group SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!) has led to multiple citations
against the UW for animal deaths and failure to provide pain relief to
30 animals for an extended period, as well as additional animal deaths
and infractions discovered during the inspection.
SAEN filed an Official Complaint with the USDA relevant to a rabbit
euthanasia due to a pelvic fracture (which staff could not explain) and
failure to provide pain relief to a group of 30 rabbits following
surgery on 2/5/14. The SAEN complaint was based on sensitive UW
correspondence with the National Institutes of Health which SAEN had
obtained via FOIA.
The USDA probe (2/28 - 3/3/14) not only cited the UW for both
non-compliances raised by SAEN, but also added citations for a rabbit
who had died during surgery, a guinea pig who was found dead by the USDA
inspector during the inspection, as well as several animal handling
issues relevant to macaque monkeys also discovered during the
inspection.
Overall, the USDA cited the UW for non-compliances by the IACUC, as well
as multiple incidents of both unqualified personnel, and improper animal
handling.
“We are very pleased with the enforcement actions taken so far by the
USDA's Western Regional Office," said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T.,
Executive Director, SAEN. " The University of Washington has again
demonstrated a clear pattern of incompetence that killed multiple
animals and potentially caused severe suffering to others. This
incompetent lab deserves the maximum penalty allowable under the law."
The UW is the third lab cited by the USDA following SAEN complaints in
the last several months. The USDA has also recently cited the
University of Houston and the University of California, Davis following
SAEN Official Complaints.
The USDA report and SAEN's Official Complaints are available upon
request from SAEN.
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