Programs & Campaigns

Tufts Vet School: Placing Research Interests Over Concern For Animals?

It began in the fall of 2003, when students at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (Tufts) learned that six dogs were destined for death in a bone study that involved the breaking and healing of both back legs. The dogs were killed on New Year's Day 2004. See http://www.neavs.org/programs/campaigns/Dogs_Suffer.htm

In the aftermath of this tragedy, NEAVS vowed to see an end to these types of experiments. NEAVS was part of a Boston Globe expose that focused on the experiment that killed the six dogs. Investigative journalist Douglass Starr presented a balanced article in which the animals' perspective and anti-vivisection arguments were well articulated. (Boston Globe Magazine, April 18, 2004)

NEAVS followed this coverage and public awareness campaign with a major postcard mailing from clients, donors, alumni and the general public to Dean Philip Kosch calling for an end to all painful and lethal experiments on animals. He is expected to have received thousands of postcards. Earlier in mid April, an initial meeting between a Tufts' Dean and NEAVS took place. Our investigations have been on going and are resulting in information no less troubling than this lethal dog experiment.

Details revealed in a recent USDA report from a September '03 routine inspection of the veterinary school, (obtained by NEAVS in June '04), cited Tufts for failures in responsible animal care including:

• failing to conduct a thorough search of methods to replace a painful procedure on animals;

• housing newborn calves in a 5 by 2 foot enclosure that did not permit the calves to turn around

• housing newborn piglets in stainless steel isolation enclosures that deprived them of all visual contact with other animals

• inadequate housekeeping that resulted in accumulated feces, foul odors and abundant flies in the animal housing areas

• failing to adequately monitor the number of times per day that animals were used for teaching procedures

• underreporting the degree of pain involved in an experiment.

Click here for more information on the material contained in this and other USDA Inspection Reports on Tufts.

The lethal dog experiment and the number and kinds of non-compliant citations noted in the 2003 Inspection Report do not instill confidence in Tufts' touted reputation as the ethical signature school of veterinary medicine. The animals need assurance that Tufts is not resting on laurels. Uncovering this cruel and unnecessary experiment as well as recent inspection reports compel all of us to keep a close watch on activities at Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine.

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The State of the Anti-Vivisection Movement in America