2008 Woodie Awards
Letters To The Editor
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Commentary
Animals Should Not Be
Used In Experimentation
As of January, UConn was forced to return $65,000 after a USDA investigation found severe animal welfare violations in its primate research labs. In the course of these experiments, David Waitzman allegedly drilled holes in monkeys' skulls, attached metal chambers to their heads, inserted electrodes into their brains and implanted wire coils in their eyeballs. Now we read in The Daily Campus ("PETA Files Complaint About Cat Experiments," April 16) that UConn will soon be subject to a further investigation by the USDA regarding ongoing experiments on cats conducted by Monty Escabi and Heather Read.
These experiments purportedly involve paralyzing cats, cutting holes in their throats, drilling into their skulls, removing portions of their brains and ultimately killing them. The research is supposed to be relevant in determining how the brain processes sounds. Research of this sort is done by many other institutions without the use of animals, as available and more reliable technologies exist.
While a zealous pursuit of knowledge is generally commendable, it seems like a very basic piece of ethical knowledge eludes the UConn Health Center. Animals are not mere pieces of laboratory equipment that we are free to exploit. Animals exist for their own reasons and imposing this kind of suffering on them is indefensible.
- Ian Smith,
2nd-year UConn graduate student.
Used In Experimentation
As of January, UConn was forced to return $65,000 after a USDA investigation found severe animal welfare violations in its primate research labs. In the course of these experiments, David Waitzman allegedly drilled holes in monkeys' skulls, attached metal chambers to their heads, inserted electrodes into their brains and implanted wire coils in their eyeballs. Now we read in The Daily Campus ("PETA Files Complaint About Cat Experiments," April 16) that UConn will soon be subject to a further investigation by the USDA regarding ongoing experiments on cats conducted by Monty Escabi and Heather Read.
These experiments purportedly involve paralyzing cats, cutting holes in their throats, drilling into their skulls, removing portions of their brains and ultimately killing them. The research is supposed to be relevant in determining how the brain processes sounds. Research of this sort is done by many other institutions without the use of animals, as available and more reliable technologies exist.
While a zealous pursuit of knowledge is generally commendable, it seems like a very basic piece of ethical knowledge eludes the UConn Health Center. Animals are not mere pieces of laboratory equipment that we are free to exploit. Animals exist for their own reasons and imposing this kind of suffering on them is indefensible.
- Ian Smith,
2nd-year UConn graduate student.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Julia
posted 4/18/08 @ 1:08 PM EST
Well said! As a UConn student I was disappointed by the reaction from the officials regarding these incidents as well as other students not even realizing how dangerous it is to use animals and then compare them to humans! It is so sad to see that UConn isn't striving for the most reliable and efficient results regarding research in this area. (Continued…)
Julia O.
Julia
posted 4/18/08 @ 1:35 PM EST
It is so sad to see that UConn isn't looking for more effective alternatives when the technology is there. I think it is scary that students and even the researchers aren't aware of how dangerous it is to use animals and then compare the results to humans. (Continued…)
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