University of Wisconsin Cited for Animal Welfare Violations

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been cited with more breaches of the Animal Welfare Act with regard to its animal testing laboratories. Coming on the heels of an investigation in December, which found twenty breaches, this most recent inspection by the USDA cited the research facility for expired medications and dirty, “cockroach infested” primate holding rooms.

The circumstances cited this time around, as well as the investigation eight months ago, are indicative of the general attitude that vivisectors have toward their test subjects. Animal testing is by its very nature a cruel occupation and requires that those who take part in it have no regard for the safety, comfort, or lives of animals.

It is a mockery to expect that a person who makes their living by subjecting animals to painful, distressing, torturous experiments and circumstances, will magically develop a conscience in regard to the way that the animals are housed or cared for before, and after, the experiments.

The USDA announced in June a renewed commitment to enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, making mention of several possible enforcement measures, such as fines or revoking licenses. The USDA, however, made no mention of any specific actions planned against the facility at UM-Wisconsin. But spokesman Dave Sacks said the Act will be enforced “to its fullest extent”.

As is always the case, researchers and doctors associated with the facility in question insist that animals are treated “responsibly” and treated “with care”. But there is no way to treat an animal with care while subjecting them to cruel tests. It is very telling that the Animal Welfare Act sets the bar at the bare minimum, yet facilities that conduct vivisection are still unable to meet those requirements.

The fact that facilities like the one at UW-Madison are unable to meet even the mediocre standards set by the federal government, shows that treating animals with the modicum of decency that is expected, is beyond the ethical capabilities of vivisectors.

Even if animal testing wasn’t a reckless, scientifically unsound method of conducting research, it is arguably the single most ethically deplorable behavior that humans have come to embrace.

No matter how low we set the bar for animal welfare standards, there will always be violations because you cannot expect a person to possess both the callousness it takes to torture an animal, as well as the compassion it takes to nurture and care for the animal after the torture is complete.

Photo: PETA - Public Domain

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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C. B.

5:41PM PST on Jan 31, 2012

Is there an update on this? Like everyone else here, I signed this ages ago and would like to know. Thanks.

send a green star

Angie R.

8:39AM PDT on Jul 25, 2011

I think that the reason certain indavilduals are testing animals is to find the " gene" that holds faith!!! This to me is not only my personal belief but my understanding that God did not create man to THE torture of & OF kill animals!! This is with out a doubt cruel and will never be achieved ( finding the gene ) .. I will be a voice for the animals and I will not Shut Up because others think my voice is to voicterase!! I speak on behalf of PEACE AND LOVE EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERYTHING!! INCLUDING ANIMALS!

Mitch F.

7:42PM PST on Jan 22, 2011

I hope the religious people in the world and the republicans here in the US don't read this article and try and teach cats how to gun each other down and drive planes into buildings. http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/06/18/Scientist-gives-human-extinction-warning/UPI-55521276890103/

Sandy H.

7:40PM PST on Jan 21, 2011

Rochat Sylvie: Perhaps you should learn more about cause and effect, the reason there are criminals in the first place, the reason that the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, the reason why the poor and powerless are the ones in our prisons. Should we really strip everybody who has ever done something illegal of their human rights? I have a better idea: Test on nobody.

Tricia H.

6:10AM PST on Dec 1, 2010

I cannot believe that Our Tax Dollars are causing this abuse. Shame on us and our government.

Aniruddha K.

10:50AM PDT on Oct 7, 2010

HUMANS SHOULD BE MORE HUMANE.STOP CRUEALITY AND TORTURING DUMB CREATURES.

Diane P.

3:44AM PDT on Sep 24, 2010

I HAVE BECOME NUMB SEEING ALL OF THE ANIMAL ABUSE ON THIS SITE. IT HURTS ME SO MUCH TO SEE IT. MAY ALLAH HELP THESE POOR ANIMALS.

Athena C.

5:55AM PDT on Sep 17, 2010

This is just toruture. Plain and simple.

Sylvie R.

2:19PM PDT on Aug 26, 2010

There are enough criminals in this world that may be of useful research

Phil and Barbar b.

5:44PM PDT on Aug 24, 2010

We need to stop all animal testing, now and forever!!!!!! It doesn't take a "scientist" to know what is safe and could hurt the consumer!!! Wake up and stop these inhumane tests on animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you need to stay employed, find other ways to test, without using animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!