Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Peta note. Unbearable

Dear Amber,
For most people, the sale of cats and dogs from animal shelters for use in laboratories seems like a barbaric practice from the distant past—as it should be. Shockingly, in some states homeless animals are still purchased from shelters and then used in cruel and painful experiments, even at seemingly reputable universities. PETA's newest investigation goes undercover inside the University of Utah to reveal the school's shocking experiments on homeless animals.

One of these animals was an affectionate orange tabby cat named Robert. University of Utah experimenters drilled a hole into his skull and implanted electrodes in his brain in order to run an electric current through it. The university also paid a shelter $20 for a skinny black-and-tan German shepherd mix named Lady. Lady's neck was cut open and a medical device was implanted as part of a cruel heart experiment. Kittens born to a cat purchased from a shelter had chemicals injected into their brains. All the kittens died during the course of the experiment.

In other experiments, mice were given enormous tumors and monkeys had holes drilled into their skulls. These monkeys were also kept constantly thirsty so that they would "cooperate" with experimenters in exchange for a few drops of water. These are just a few examples of the many instances of cruelty documented by PETA's undercover investigator at the University of Utah.

PETA is taking swift action by filing formal complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health alleging violations of federal law and noncompliance with federally mandated guidelines. We are also filing a criminal complaint with local law-enforcement officials. However, as long as any university or company continues to blind, poison, maim, torture, and kill animals, our job isn't done. PETA—and supporters like you—are often the only hope for these animals.

Please be a voice for the animals suffering in laboratories at the University of Utah. Urge the university to end the use of animals from shelters in its laboratories.

Thank you for speaking out for animals in laboratories. Your voice makes a difference to the countless helpless animals who have no voice.