UMass Chan Killed Dogs Ahead of State Inspection: PETA Statement

For Immediate Release:
April 7, 2026

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Please see the following statement from PETA Vice President Dr. Alka Chandna regarding whistleblower information that dogs at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) were killed before an inspection by the state Department of Public Health. Inspectors found no violations involving the dogs. PETA had requested the investigation after releasing photos and evidence that the dogs were intentionally starved to keep them in smaller cages:

Killing all the subjects of a PETA complaint is one way to avoid receiving violations, but we would have suggested simply feeding the dogs instead. The state inspector who arrived in January following PETA’s December complaint found that “no dogs or cats were on-site,” but insiders tell us all were killed before officials arrived—and records indicate there were at least 10 puppies less than a year old. PETA has also learned that one of UMass Chan’s veterinarians has reportedly resigned, effective April 13, leaving just two veterinarians for tens of thousands of animals at the university. The school’s laboratories should be closed immediately, and their funding redirected to state-of-the-art, non-animal research methods.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.