In light of recent findings from the undercover investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals at the U’s research labs, students are continuing to make an outcry.
As of Monday evening, the U.S. Department of Agriculture still has not sent any unannounced inspectors to the U’s animal labs to investigate if PETA’s three-week-old complaints to the U’s department8212;that the labs violate federal law with mistreatment of animals8212;are true. If they are, the labs would lose their license and their animals. But students are taking matters into their own hands.
The Student Organization for Animal Rights at the U has teamed up with peta2, PETA’s youth organization, to collect signatures to end animal testing at the U on dogs and cats bought at a low cost from local shelters.
“We’ve already collected more than 1,000 signatures,” said Justin Goodman, research supervisor in the laboratory department of PETA.
The petition received an overwhelming and positive response, Amy Meyer, SOAR spokeswoman and a senior in environmental studies, said in a statement.
A statement from PETA regarding its findings in the investigation said a dog’s neck was cut open and a medical device was implanted before it died and a cat had electrodes implanted in its skull that would send electrical impulses that would move its legs.
“The media has come out against the practice, and the students have come out against the practice,” Goodman said. “Now it’s time for the university to do the right thing. We hope that the U will stop testing on poor animals and that the community will provide a safe haven for the animals.”
The group also sent a letter to U President Michael Young asking that the cat with electrodes in its brain be released from the labs.