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

Newsletters
The Defender
From Fall 2008 Issue

Sheep & Cow Torture at the Texas Heart Institute

As our investigations of all laboratories in the U.S. continue, we often find major violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) within laboratories that are household names like Harvard, Michigan State, UCLA, etc. However, we do not let any labs pass by without serious scrutiny. And since we believe that ALL animals are sacred, we work to defend their rights whether they are rats, mice, dogs, cats, monkeys, rabbits, sheep, or cows.

One laboratory that is not nationally known for animal research is the Texas Heart Institute (THI). But, anonymity does not protect offending laboratories from our in-depth scrutiny. USDA inspection reports disclose a three year history of major violations at THI.

In 2005, this facility was cited by the USDA for violations committed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and for unqualified personnel who performed surgeries without proper sterile technique. During the same inspection, this facility was also cited three times for inadequate veterinary care. These violations referred to “. . . one animal seized, stopped breathing, and died prior to euthanasia.”

In 2006, THI was again cited for violations committed by the IACUC and for inadequate veterinary care. One citation depicted a horrifying image:

“. . . one calf showed multiple signs of distress and discomfort such as flared nostrils, excessive salivation, open mouth breathing (panting), pale tongue, splayed front limbs, and abdominal breathing. This particular calf was restrained in this manner for 7 days prior to euthanasia.”

In 2007, THI repeated its pattern of criminal

activity by again being cited for multiple AWA violations committed by the IACUC and for inadequate watering. One of these violations states:

“Euthanasia is performed by removal of the sheep heart . . . this is not an approved method of euthanasia.”

USDA inspections of the Texas Heart Institute have documented other violations, such as a sheep restrained in an unapproved “head catch” method, use of expired medical equipment and drugs, unacceptable veterinary practices, contaminated water, and surgical procedures being performed by untrained staff. Overall, this facility violated federal law 16 times in a period of 3 years.

SAEN’s tireless investigations have shined the spotlight on the Texas Heart Institute bringing them out of the shadows by exposing all of the sordid details about THI to the news media of Houston, TX. Our dramatic media events have blown the lid off of this scandal, revealing the truth to hundreds of thousands of people.

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