FORMER PETS END UP DEAD IN UNIVERSITY TEACHING LABS

Investigation Reveals Supply Line of Dogs and Cats in Higher Education

(Jenkintown, PA)- April 27, 2009 – A new report, “Dying to Learn:
Exposing the Supply of Dogs and Cats to Higher Education,” documents the
hidden practices of higher education, proving that science lab students
are using former pets at major colleges and universities. It traces the
route that brings dogs like Cruella, a shepherd-mix from Michigan, to an
unhappy end, a victim of dissection, live surgeries and other
procedures, at college and university teaching labs.

“Dying to Learn: Exposing the Supply and Use of Dogs and Cats in Higher
Education” is the result of a two-year investigation of animal
acquisition and use from 92 public colleges and universities in the U.S.
It presents evidence of unnecessary use of animals, and unethical sources.

A comprehensive review of official documents reveals that 52% of the
colleges and universities examined are using live and dead dogs and cats
for teaching and training purposes in life science, veterinary, and
medical education, in spite of viable alternatives available that are
being used by other schools.

All categories of animal dealers supplying dogs and cats to public
colleges and universities have track records of violations of the
federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which regulates the care and use of
animals supplied and used in laboratories and other industries. These
violations include inhumane treatment.

Of particular concern are the cats and dogs purchased from random source
Class B animal dealers who collect animals from shelters and pounds,
misleading ads, auctions, and other sources. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) admitted in its 2007 Animal Welfare
Report that “some of these dealers may be trafficking in stolen animals.”

Tracie Letterman, Esq., Executive Director of the American
Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS), commented, “Congress should act to cut
off the supply of pets to labs by banning random source Class B dealers
and the use of random source animals in general. Immediate action could
be taken by USDA, which has the discretion not to renew licenses for
those random source Class B dealers who are consistently violating the AWA.”
Animalearn Director Laura Ducceschi also expressed concern about those
colleges and universities that obtain cats and dogs directly from local
pounds and shelters. “With the current economic and foreclosure crisis
causing homeowners across the country to lose their homes, the numbers
of pets being relinquished to shelters is drastically increasing. This
puts an ever increasing number of former pets at risk of ending up in
labs. That kind of fate is completely at odds with recent studies
showing that 65% of Americans consider the welfare of pets ‘very
important’.”

Dying to Learn, which was released today by Animalearn, the education
division of AAVS, also documents problems with other sources of dogs and
cats, such as biological supply companies, who sell preserved animals,
and Class A dealers, who breed animals on their premises.

The report has some good news however. Because Animalearn’s expertise is
humane alternatives, the report offers its extensive resources,
including studies showing that students learn as well or better with
cost-effective humane alternatives and/or therapeutic uses of animals.
These include beneficial shelter medicine programs for veterinary
students, ethically sourced animal cadavers, virtual dissection, and
technologically advanced surgical simulations.

Dying to Learn commends the many colleges and universities that have
implemented alternatives and recognizes the pivotal role students have
played in adoption of Student Choice Policies which allow students the
right to choose a humane alternative to harmful animal use. The report
includes ‘how-to’s and samples, including a sample No Random Source
Animals Policies that would prohibit an institution from acquiring
animals from Class B dealers.


Animalearn, the educational division of the American Anti-Vivisection
Society (AAVS), works with educators, students and others to achieve
quality humane science education without harmful use of animals. Visit
www.animalearn.org.

The American Anti-Vivisection Society has monitored the use of animals
in science since it was founded in 1883.