PETA Files Complaint Against SVSU: Stop Redundant, Deadly Experiments on Animals

University Continues to Allow Duplicative, Archaic, and Cruel Procedures in Apparent Violation of Its Own Policy

For Immediate Release:
March 15, 2010

Contact:
Justin Goodman 757-622-7382

Saginaw, Mich. -- This morning, PETA fired off a complaint to members of Saginaw Valley State University's (SVSU) animal experimentation oversight committee calling on them to halt experiments in which pregnant rats will be injected with diisononyl phthalate, a chemical long studied for its potential toxicity and for which extensive information about its risks to humans is already available. PETA's action was prompted by SVSU's announcement that its Student Research and Creativity Institute had awarded a $10,000 grant to the undergraduate who proposed the project.

At the conclusion of the painful experiments, some of the rats are killed, and their brains are dissected. PETA alleges that the experiments are also in apparent violation of SVSU guidelines because they duplicate previous studies and can be performed without using animals. Extensive previous research--including clinical studies in humans--has already shown that this chemical does not pose a health risk to humans except in extremely high doses.

"SVSU is apparently allowing students and faculty to torment and kill animals in redundant, ineffective experiments that have no relevance to human health," says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Public funds continue to be squandered on crude and cruel experiments because existing data and modern non-animal research methods are being ignored."

SVSU regulations require experimenters to verify that "[a]lternatives that may reduce or omit animal use... have been reviewed and considered," and experimenters must demonstrate that they have done adequate research "to determine that an alternative(s) is not available." In addition, SVSU's protocol certification form states that it is committed to "the minimization of the number of studies that require the testing of laboratory animals."

Last year, PETA filed a separate complaint with SVSU after students reported that frogs and rats were killed in classroom experiments even though humane and sophisticated alternatives were available.

PETA's correspondence with SVSU is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA's Web site StopAnimalTests.com.