FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 12, 2003

Contact: Michael Budkie (513) 575-5517

Bungled Experiments, Negligence Lead to Violations of Law, Deaths By U.S. Research Universities

          WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to U.S. Dept. of Agriculture documents released here, bungled experiments and veterinary negligence have led to thousands of violations of the Animal Welfare Act by prestigious U.S. universities – and the deaths and unnecessary suffering of research animals.

          Major U.S. research laboratories – including those at Harvard, Yale, California State University, Northwestern, Pennsylvania and other federally-funded universities – have been cited repeatedly for numerous violations of federal law, reported SAEN, a national, non-profit research watchdog organization.

          SAEN has compiled a national report – “Squalor Within the Laboratories” – based on FOIA-obtained documents from the USDA. The statistics indicate about 60 percent of U.S. labs have been cited for negligence by their animal care committees, and 25 percent cited for inadequate veterinary care.

          Animals have died because of malnutrition, dehydration or, in one case, because the staff took the weekend off.

          “From rats to primates, these animals are suffering horribly at the hands of incompetent personnel who can’t be bothered to care for the animals properly, or at least according to law,” said Michael Budkie, AHT, SAEN executive director.

          Mr. Budkie added that even when the USDA cites universities, the violations continue. In one case, the University of California, San Francisco was cited at least 12 times for negligent animal care committees and inadequate veterinary care. The University of Connecticut was fined $129,000 for violations in 2001, but still continues to violate the AWA laws for inadequate veterinary care.

          The SAEN report is available upon request, and it can be found at: http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/articles-rep-sq.html 

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