Biomedical research
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 1994:
Following five years of controversy and
a two-month probe by concerned individuals and
organizations, the University of Arizona in mid-
March released 12 greyhounds bought for biomed-
ical research from Greg Ludlow of GTL Kennels in
Goodyear, Arizona. Another greyhound was to be
released upon completion of a pacemaker trial; a
14th had already been used in a terminal experiment.
For the second time in six years, and just one year
after serving out a five-year USDA suspension of his
Class B dealer’s license, Ludlow was accused of
obtaining and selling dogs under false pretenses.
The release was achieved through the cooperation of
Concerned Arizonans for Animal Rights and Ethics,
the Greyhound Protection League, Greyhound
Network News, the management of the greyhound
tracks at Phoenix and Apache Junction, and Arizona
Greyhound Breeders and Kennel Operators.
The University of Minnesota on
February 16 discontinued dog laboratories t h a t
annually kill about 150 dogs, stating that the reason
was to save an estimated $35,000 to $45,000 a year.
Some use of dogs in more advanced classes will con-
tinue, as will use of dogs in research, but the
Animal Rights Coalition claimed victory after a five-
year struggle. The university purchased 1,825 dogs
from three Class B dealers in 1992. ARC said one of
the dealers was operating under an expired license;
another had received bad USDA inspection reports
and is under investigation for irregularities in book-
keeping; and the third has been charged with 1,600
violations of the Animal Welfare Act, in a case
pending since 1990, “for making false entries about
the identity of the persons from whom animals were
acquired and failing to maintain complete records
showing the acquisition of dogs and cats.”
The Association of Veterinarians for
Animal Rights and In Defense of Animals ask that
letters of protest be sent to USDA Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service acting director Lonnie
King, DVM, protesting the alleged failure of the
USDA to “adequately investigate a charge filed by
IDA which charges University of California at
Berkeley researcher Russell DeValois and head vet-
erinarian Roy Henrickson with veterinary negligence
and failure to adhere to proper scientific standards.”
Necropsy reports obtained by IDA are said to docu-
ment serious brain and bone infections routinely
developing in monkeys and cats as result of elec-
trode implants by DeValois. DeValois has been
accused of animal abuse throughout his career. In
1969, as a cub reporter in Berkeley, ANIMAL
PEOPLE editor Merritt Clifton received first-hand
testimony pertaining to cruelty in DeValois’ experi-
ments, which had already drawn some public criti-
cism. King’s address is Room 312-E, Admin.
Bldg., USDA, Washington, DC 20250.
