Home Page
About SAEN
Articles and Reports
Contact Us
Events and Campaigns
Fact Sheets
Financial Information
How You Can Help
Make a Donation, Please!
Media Coverage
Newsletters
Petitions
Picture Archive
Press Releases
Resources and Links
Grass Roots Org. List

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

Articles and Reports

The Reporting of Animal Experimentation in the U.S.:
Errors, Lies, and Contradictions

Conclusion

It is quite apparent that the reporting system which is used as part of the regulation of the use of animals in research is seriously flawed. The fiscal 2001 Animal Welfare Enforcement Report, as filed with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate, is seriously flawed. The statistics for primate usage are substantially skewed so as to indicate a major reduction in the use of primates in experimentation. The facts of the situation are that no reduction took place, and that there may have actually been an increase, though it is currently impossible to tell.

A historical examination of documents filed by major primate laboratories with the National Institutes of Health has revealed major discrepancies between these documents and reports filed by the same facilities with the USDA/APHIS. It is entirely possible that officials within these laboratories have purposely filed fraudulent reports with the USDA/APHIS. These discrepancies are sufficient to cast doubt on the entirety of the reporting system, especially when they are combined with other potential erroneous reporting which has been discussed relative to the fiscal 2001 AWER.

It is the conclusion of this author that the reporting system for animal experimentation is in serious need of an overhaul. At no time from 1992 to the present has the USDA been able to obtain reports from all research facilities in the U.S., with the high for non-reporting facilities reaching 128 in 1997. Yet, the USDA/APHIS/AC website does not list any instances of facilities receiving a fine or official warning for non-reporting.

The current system of reporting does not even cover all animals. The totals listed in the AWER ignore animals confined within a research or breeding facility that are not currently being used in experimentation (i.e. animals being held for breeding, conditioning, etc. that are not yet part of an experimental protocol). This allows a significant number of laboratory animals to go uncounted, and unreported. These animals may comprise as much as 40% of the laboratory population for some species.

Return to Articles and Reports