Group Calls for Investigations Into Hospital's Apparent Failure to Ensure Animals' Safety From Storm as Required by Federal Policy
For
Immediate Release:
November
1, 2012
Contact:
Tasgola
Bruner 202-483-7382
New York -- PETA has sent a formal complaint to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) calling for an investigation into news reports of 10,000 mice and rats drowning in their cages in the laboratories of New York University (NYU) Hospital's Smilow Research Building as a result of Hurricane Sandy.
In the complaint, PETA points out that NYU was obligated—by NIH animal welfare guidelines—to have a plan in place to ensure the animals' safety in the event of a disaster. Because advance warnings of the storm allowed ample time to take measures to protect the animals—such as moving them to a safe area—NYU's failure to do so may constitute a violation of policy governing the treatment of animals in federally funded experiments.
"Mice and rats experience pain and fear the same as we do," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "These animals' deaths and the terror they felt as they were unable to escape their locked cages while watching the waters rise were entirely preventable. There is no excuse for NYU's apparent negligence."
PETA also reminds NIH officials that in addition to thousands of animals drowning after being abandoned, it's possible that many will ultimately be replaced—and subjected to painful and deadly experiments—adding to the suffering caused by this incident and NYU's apparent failure to implement a sound disaster-management plan.
PETA's complaint to the NIH is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.