HSVMA Urges Veterinary Support for Legislation to Protect Farm Animals Used in Agricultural Research
New York Times Exposé Reveals Egregious Abuse

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A recent New York Times esposé revealed decades of brutal treatment of farm animals used for research at a taxpayer-financed federal facility in Nebraska.   JP Bonnelly

February 23, 2015

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association urges veterinary professionals to join us in supporting federal legislation that would ensure that farm animals used for agricultural research at federal facilities receive at least the basic care required under the Animal Welfare Act.

The AWARE Act, or Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors Act, was introduced this month in the aftermath of a January 19 New York Times exposé that revealed decades of horrific treatment of farm animals used for research at a federal facility in Nebraska. The U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, which has received almost $200 million in federal funding just since 2006, was found to have allowed at least 6,500 animals to die from starvation and to have conducted inhumane research on pigs, cows and other farm animals.

Some of the more egregious examples of the brutal treatment the animals received include putting pigs in steam chambers until some of them perished, leaving lambs abandoned by their overtaxed mothers in pastures to die from neglect, severe weather, and predators, breeding calves with deformities, and allowing untrained, unsupervised staff to perform experimental surgery.

The brutal treatment that so many of these animals endured in the name of research is unacceptable. The AWARE Act takes the first steps to address this inhumanity by closing the loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that exempted these animals from basic protections. It makes common sense for the veterinary profession to strongly support this much-needed reform.

The Nebraska center, which was founded 50 years ago by Congress, conducts research to maximize the production of animals for the meat industry. Currently, the Animal Welfare Act exempts farm animals “used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding, management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food or fiber.” USDA is responsible for overseeing enforcement of the AWA at non-federal research facilities conducting biomedical research, such as those seeking a cure to cancer. It makes no sense for USDA-conducted research designed to boost meat industry profits to be exempt from the law’s modest welfare protections.

“The brutal treatment that so many of these animals endured in the name of research is unacceptable,” said Dr. Barry Kellogg, HSVMA Senior Veterinary Advisor. “The AWARE Act takes the first steps to address this inhumanity by closing the loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that exempted these animals from basic protections. It makes common sense for the veterinary profession to strongly support this much-needed reform.”

The Times report was based on Freedom of Information Act requests and information obtained from current and former employees associated with the research facility, including one veterinarian who spent 25 years at the facility. These whistleblowers shared stories of cruelty and neglect that, at times, were ignored by supervisors.

How You Can Help

The AWARE Act (H.R. 746) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.). A companion bill (S. 388) was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

Please contact your federal legislators and urge them to support this important legislation. As a veterinary professional and expert in issues pertaining to animal health and welfare, your input will be especially important in moving this bill forward.

Please make a brief phone call to your two U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative and urge them to cosponsor these bills to protect farm animals used in agricultural research (find your legislators' phone numbers here). It is important to indicate you are a veterinary professional and a constituent when calling and to reference the AWARE (Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors) Act – H.R. 746/S. 388.. For more background, review the HSVMA support letter for this legislation»

After making your call, it would be helpful to also personalize and submit a follow-up message using this form»

Thank you for taking the time to help move this important animal welfare reform forward.