Essays and Musings on Animals and Society

Saturday, March 04, 2006

University of Wisconsin Research Labs: Animal Abuse and Stonewalling 

In this article in Isthmus magazine ("Let's talk about the animals"), Bill Leuders discusses the University of Wisconsin's incriminating record of neglect and questionable research in its animal labs, and its refusal to engage in debate with critics of animal research.

Excerpts:

"In 2003, the state agreed to pay $260,000 to settle a lawsuit by a former assistant research veterinarian at the UW's National Primate Research Laboratory who alleged she was fired for raising concerns about the 'cruel and inhumane' treatment of monkeys."

"In July 2004, three marmoset monkeys were scalded to death when staff failed to remove the animals before cleaning their cages. Six months later, the same thing happened to a New Zealand white rabbit."

"Last November, UW-Madison faculty member Goran Hellekant sued Chancellor John Wiley, challenging the UW's enforcement of animal welfare rules. Hellekant, who cuts into monkeys to study artificial sweeteners, claims he's been disciplined for past violations; the UW denies this."

"UW Prof. John Webster is now studying the lethality of Taser stun guns, using pigs as subjects. One of the study's consultants was booted for having an undisclosed role as top medical officer to a Taser manufacturer.

Even without these problems — some of which, it should be noted, came to light because UW officials took corrective action — there is ample reason to examine and debate the use of animals as research subjects.

How animals are treated says something about our values as a society, our moral character. Serious questions have been raised about the usefulness of this research and the conditions animals endure. The issue merits constant review and debate.

The problem: The UW seems far more interested in demonizing its critics than in having an open and honest exchange of ideas."

This is the same obfuscation we see with circuses, factory farms—any place that profits from exploiting animals: "Everything's fine. The animals are well taken-care of. We religiously conform to welfare standards. Trust us. And don't look behind that curtain."


Read more about the UW Taser debacle:

Taser CEO conducts experiments on pigs in his garage

UW-Madison Professor Withdraws From Study in Protest of Colleague's Taser Experiments on Pigs

"It is clear that the limited data expected to result from the sample of extremely stressed pigs will have no relevance to Taser-targeted humans, with their wide spectrum of body dimensions, physiology, age, and other factors that will modify the effects of the Taser. Given what seems to be the foregone conclusion of the study, I believe the findings will be used to justify widespread and indiscriminate use of Tasers.

I am also troubled by our University's Animal Care and Use Committee that apparently determined that Dr. Webster's research was ethical. The committee surely had knowledge of the availability of human data, autopsy reports of humans killed by Tasers, and even experiments on pigs nearly identical to those proposed by Webster. I believe that the committee is charged to reject research protocols that are not essential or ethical. At a time when alternatives to animals have never been more sophisticated and desirable, it is extremely puzzling and disturbing that in this case, the ACUC chose to increase, rather than reduce, the number of research studies using animals on the University of Wisconsin campus.

...I cannot in good conscience collaborate with a faculty member whose experiments on animals are repugnant to my sense of human as well as animal welfare."

The sister of a Taser fatality also urged the University to cancel the pig tests:

"I find it especially troubling that Professor Webster has already made it quite clear—publicly—that he will find nothing wrong with Tasers and merely intends to prove his hypothesis...I do not believe that any more animals of any kind should be hurt and/or killed to justify the further use potentially deadly weapons and to advance Taser Internationals financial interests and dubious claims of safety."

A reporter who volunteered to experience a shot from a Tasered recounted:

"Taking the jolt, my knees gave out and the quick blast felt like it lasted 10 minutes. All I could see was red, and the pain was like an extreme migraine headache and how I imagine a whack in the back with a baseball bat would feel."

The reporter's description is for a one-second Taser jolt. The Air Force conducted Taser experiments on pigs in which the pigs were forced to withstand an intolerable 15 seconds of current. Video of the experiments shows the pigs screaming and convulsing.


Also recommended:

Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN). Ex-USDA inspector Michael Budkie documents non-compliance, violations, and underreporting of Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations—at lab after lab. He also explains the various loopholes in the AWA that allow research labs, to a large degree, to operate in secret. SAEN reports and official complaints to the USDA have resulted in animal lab fines and termination of abusive primate experiments. (Why didn't the USDA find these problems in the first place? How hard are they looking?)

Peruse the SAEN site. Examine some of the graphic pictures of burned rabbits, dogs with hunks of flesh missing, primates living their lives in restraining devices, all four limbs rendered practically useless.
Posted by: Gary / 11:17 PM
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