Animal Research
Help Stop Use of Pets for Research
Rep. Michael F. Doyle (D-PA) has introduced the Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2009, Montcalm County Votes to Stop Pound Seizure
Update April 28: The Montcalm County, Michigan Commissioners have voted to stop giving shelter animals to R&R Research, a Class B dealer that sells them for experimentation and research!
Spain Considers Rights for Great Apes
The Spanish parliament's environmental committee has approved resolutions that would confer rights on apes. The resolutions are from the Great Apes Project which studies the lives and behavior of non-human great apes.
The Great Apes Project has declared great apes including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans, should have the rights to life, liberty and freedom from torture. Great apes deprived of liberty would be entitled to due process.
Student Choice Bill Passes in the Nick of Time
Adapted & posted with permission by Sheryl Rapee-Adams, Best Friends Network
Photo by Sheryl Rapee-Adams
Just hours before Vermont's legislative session ended for the season, the Student Choice bill passed the Vermont Senate unanimously. Longtime friend to nonhuman and human Vermonters Senator John Campbell (D-Windsor) advocated strongly for this bill and negotiated with the House Education Chair on its behalf.
It's Time to Pass Koda's Law
A bill that is stuck in the Michigan House of Representatives, H.B. 4663, would ban pound seizure, the sale of dogs and cats by public shelters for use in research.
Michigan does not require pound seizure as in Utah, Minnesota and Oklahoma, but does allow public shelters to sell animals to research facilities. This bill would end that practice.
Call on Medical Schools to End Use of Live Animals as Teaching Tools
Washington University in St. Louis has announced its medical school will no longer use live pigs in a student lab.
Case Western Eliminates Use of Some But Not All Animals for Teaching Medical Students
Case Western Reserve University has announced it will stop using live dogs, cats and ferrets for teaching purposes. The animals were used to teach surgeries and other medical techniques to 4th year medical students.
The school has said it will, however, continue to use pigs in a course on "minimally invasive surgeries" at least until the next academic year.
Pet Safety and Protection Act Dies
Update: The Pet Safety & Protection Act did not pass.
We need your help!
Earlier this year the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Pet Safety and Protection Act as part of the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007, the 2007 Farm bill, H.R. 2419.
Support Changes to the Animal Welfare Act!
As part of the Farm bill, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved two portions of the Animal Welfare Accountability Act, H.R. 2193.
Quite an impressive name that doesn't tell you much about the bill.
Medical College of New York Announces End to Use of Dogs in Student Course, But What About Medical College of Wisconsin?
Update: Kudos to the Medical College of New York which has announced the end to its use of live dogs in a first-year physiology course. No word on whether the Medical College of Wisconsin will follow suit.....
Original report: The Medical College of Wisconsin operates a “dog lab”, and every spring 60 dogs are used in the teaching of a first year physiology course.
