New Shellfish Test Cuts Costs by One-Third, Spares Lives of Tens of Thousands of Animals
For
Immediate Release:
May
29, 2012
Contact:
Kristin
Richards 202-483-7382
Portland, Ore. — For decades, Oregon fisheries have tested the algal toxin levels of shellfish caught for human consumption by processing a sample of the shellfish in a blender and injecting the resulting slurry into the abdomens of live mice, causing them to have seizures, become paralyzed, and die slowly from suffocation. Now, PETA is calling on the Oregon Department of Agriculture to switch to a newly available, more accurate test for paralytic shellfish poisons that costs one-third as much as the old test, works in hours rather than taking days, and uses the tissue from one animal, saving more than 1,000 animals from a painful death.
"This effective new test will save thousands of mice from a slow, excruciating death—and it will take some strain off Oregon's budget, too," says Jessica Sandler, senior director of PETA's Regulatory Testing Division. "PETA is confident that Oregon fisheries will see the wisdom in immediately switching to this kinder, scientifically superior, and far less expensive test."
The new test, which was developed by a scientist from the Food and Drug Administration, detects paralytic shellfish poisons, a group of toxins that can cause facial paralysis, hypotension, vomiting, tachycardia, and fatal cardiovascular shock. These toxins can be found in mussels, softshell clams, oysters, lobsters, crabs, herring, salmon, and many other species off the northern coasts of the United States. PETA helped fund the licensing necessary to implement the new test nationwide and has also put money toward a grant that will further refine the new method so that slaughterhouse byproducts can be used.
As a result of the collaboration between PETA and PETA U.K., PETA's overseas affiliate, the E.U. has already replaced the expensive and deadly mouse bioassay for shellfish toxicity. PETA and its affiliates have donated more than $1 million to the development of non-animal test methods.
For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.