ANIMAL ISSUES BULLETIN
October 24, 2011
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** Cruel Experiments at Detroit University
** Good News for Lab Animals Too
** NY Judge Rules: Don't Let a Child See Euthanasia
** Fallout from Ohio Exotic Animal Tragedy
** Conflict of Interest on Mustang Review Panel
** Ask BLM to Release Mesteñio, the Kiger Stallion
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-- Stop Painful Heart Experiments on Dogs -The Physicians Committee on Responsible Medicine (PCRM) recently discovered cruel, federally funded
heart failure experiments that have been performed on dogs for more than two decades. In the
experiments of Donal O'Leary, Ph.D., at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., dogs undergo multiple
surgeries, have catheters and medical devices implanted in their bodies, and are forced to run strenuous
treadmill tests. These experiments have been going on since 1990, and PCRM needs everyone’s help to
prevent more dogs from suffering.
Not only does Dr. O'Leary conduct unnecessary and cruel experiments, he also purchases dogs from a
notorious class B “random source” dealer who is currently under investigation by the United States
Department of Agriculture. Michigan-based R&R Research obtains dogs who were once companion
animals from shelters and has been cited many times for obtaining animals illegally and other serious
Animal Welfare Act violations.
Please take a minute to let Valerie Parisi, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., dean of the Wayne State University
School of Medicine, know that you want the school to immediately halt the use of dogs in cruel heart
failure experiments. PCRM has provided a quick on-line action letter you can send and the sad story of a
dog named Queenie who was unfortunate enough to wind up at Wayne State School of Medicine at
http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=tF7KQaKYYG9bUuMeNKesgg
Personalizing this letter or writing your own will have more impact. Here are some talking points:
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Wayne State University’s ongoing use of dogs in heart failure experiments is cruel and should be
stopped before any more dogs suffer.
Dogs in these experiments experience severe unrelieved pain and distress.
These experiments have not contributed to human health.
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Epidemiological and clinical studies provide better answers for human heart problems.
There is no excuse for allowing these inhumane experiments, which do not contribute to human health,
to continue any longer. Please contact Dr. Parisi and urge her to end these cruel experiments.
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-- Some Good News for Lab Animals –
On October 6th, the members of PCRM and a number of other activists protested the University of
Washington (UW) Medical Center use of live ferrets for pediatrics residency training. At UW, pediatrics
endotracheal intubation training involves residents repeatedly forcing breathing tubes down the throats
of ferrets causing tracheal bruising, bleeding, scarring, severe pain, and at times, death. If you want to
learn more about the event, click the link below to watch a Seattle news story
<http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=32_uIp_wCin5hRHDpbBWkQ>.
While PCRM is keeping up the pressure on UW, other programs are already making the change!
Recently, PCRM received confirmation that efforts to replace the use of ferrets in pediatrics residency
training at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, have been successful. PCRM had to wrangle with
the medical center's attorneys to gain access to records on animal use. It seems that persistence paid off
because earlier this month, Carolinas Medical Center informed PCRM that it has stopped using animals!
Meanwhile, in Canada, another two universities have agreed to stop using live animals in traumamedicine training courses, marking the end of the practice completely in this country, according to the
doctor-led animal-rights group that has lobbied for the controversial change. For more details see the
October 19 National Post story at http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/19/canadian-med-schoolsend-use-of-live-animals/
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-- Children and Euthanasia –
On October 13, a Suffolk County New York Judge convicted Mona Kanciper of child endangerment for
allowing a 10-year-old girl to be present during the euthanasia process. The judge stated that starting
the euthanasia process in front of the child was “egregious.” The judge also found that the euthanasia of
the animals in question was justified and, therefore, animal cruel charges were dropped. According to
the Associated Press report, Ms. Kanciper could face up to a year in jail when she is sentenced on
December 13.
Ms. Kanciper has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals and will appeal the court’s decision. See
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/woman_convicted_of_child_endangerment_for_letting_girl_
watch_dog_euthanasia/
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-- Ohio Governor Learns His Lesson –
Bulletin readers probably know about the terrible loss of life that occurred last week when Terry
Thompson, the owner of the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville, Ohio, released dozens of
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animals and then killed himself. Sheriff's deputies shot and killed 48 of the animals, including 18 rare
Bengal tigers, 17 lions, six black bears, two grizzly bears, a baboon, a wolf and three mountain lions. Six
of the released animals - three leopards, a bear and two monkeys - were captured and taken to the
Columbus Zoo. Three days later, Governor John Kasich signed a new executive order giving authorities
more power to investigate complaints about exotic animals. He also stated he would advocate for a
moratorium on exotic animal auctions.
In January of 2011, this same official repealed an executive order that placed an emergency ban on the
ownership of exotic. Kasich defended himself saying no one could have predicted the Zanesville tragedy
and that good laws take time to craft.
There are differing opinions on what happened in Ohio, and to check these out read the Huffington Post
article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-groner/ohio-animalescape_b_1027093.html?ref=animals [What’s the Lesson from the Ohio Exotic Animals Incident] and
Jack Hanna Defends Animal Slaughter at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-hurowitz/jack-hannadefends-wildli_b_1019841.html?ref=animals
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-- Is Mustang Management Review Panel Fixed? –
Several animal welfare groups are opposing the current composition of a panel of experts selected by
the National Academy of Sciences to review the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustang and wild
burro program. Organizations including the American Wild Horse Protection Campaign and the Cloud
Foundation contend that the panel is stacked in favor of ranchers who don’t want the animals
competing with their sheep and cattle for limited forage. This week the panel will meet for the first
time, listen to presentations from various experts, and then take public comment. To read this story in
the Washington Post of October 23, go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/environment/animal-rights-groups-allege-panel-evaluatingwild-horse-management-is-stacked-against-them/2011/10/23/gIQADTvFAM_print.html
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-- Release Mesteñio to the Management Area -A new petition has hit care2 to save a special stallion who has been captured by the BLM. Here’s the
petition description. To sign on go to http://www.care2.com/news/member/525884267/2994256
The Kiger mustangs of Oregon uniquely contribute to our western landscape. As living examples of
Spanish horses imported in the 1600s, Kigers are set apart from other mustang herds by conformation
and coloration characteristics which establish a breed standard. With only about 100-200 Kiger
mustangs existing in the Kiger and Riddle Mountain Herd Management Areas (HMAs) at a given time,
the preservation of Spanish horse characteristics is extremely important and selected for during gathers
conducted by the Bureau of Land Management.
Beyond the physical characteristics selected for in the Kiger population, there is an important image of
the wild mustang that captures the human imagination. Mustangs are a symbol and inspiration to
Western American culture. Certain horses are famous for possessing this boundless spirit, such as Kiger
stallion Mesteño, who set the standard for Kiger mustangs.
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Concerned Citizens believe that 11-year-old dun stallion #4798 has been overlooked in the selection
process for release to Kiger HMA, despite demonstrating suitable conformation and coloration typical of
Kiger mustangs. This stallion also boasts the classical wild mustang spirit that we value. Stallion #4798 is
widely considered to be an asset to the Kiger herd and an ideal candidate for release.
We request that Kiger stallion #4798 be returned to Kiger HMA. We believe that he possesses not only
favorable conformation and coloration selected for in Kiger mustangs, but also embodies the Western
spirit we value in wild horses. We want him set free to contribute to the Kiger herd on our public lands.
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