Tuesday, May 22, 2007

UNM Lost in Maze of Animal-Lab Excuses

    Perhaps the only thing more hopeless and depressing than torturing small mammals for a science fair project is defending torturing small mammals for a science fair project.
    Over at the University of New Mexico— where a high-school student was allowed to force mice to swim until nearly drowning, hang them by their tails with adhesive tape, lock them in dirty rat cages until some aborted, and shock them with electrical charges— a lawyer for the Board of Regents maintains "no illegal, abusive or inappropriate conduct or research occurred."
    Even though officials with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair filed a complaint with the university and disqualified the project— set up to measure hopelessness and depression— because it violated rules for ethical and humane treatment of animals. Even though the UNM veterinarian in charge of animal experiments decried the tests as torture "of the most extreme pain and distress category" when he learned of them. Even though an internal investigation concluded the experiments violated federal guidelines.
    UNM vet Daniel Theele quit, he says, after university officials took his computer and files. He's suing and says "a high school student is in no way qualified to do these things. This is a travesty."
    It's also a travesty to deny there's a problem when everyone around you is pointing it out. Animal advocates are calling for changes at UNM's animal labs, for proper authorization, adequate guidance, transparency, openness and humane treatment of research animals. Incoming President David Schmidly has "internationally respected zoologist" on his résumé and may be the one person in a position to ensure those things happen. In fact, he says that on his watch the rules will be followed.
    Anything less would be hopeless and depressing.

 

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Related articles:

Good Science or Torture? Experiments at UNM Laboratory Draw Fire

Animal Advocate Wants Research Changes

UNM's Attorneys Hid Lab Results

Breaking Federal Rules 'Not Uncommon' in Animal Tests, Scientist Says

Posted with permission of the Albuquerque Publishing Company.