The VA conducts gruesome experiments on dogs, then kills them. Investigation draws outrage

[riversedge]

Source: USA Today




Donovan Slack, USA TODAY Published 6:30 a.m. ET Sept. 25, 2017 | Updated 12:00 p.m. ET Sept. 25, 2017


An investigation uncovering surgery failures and deaths in VA experiments on dogs has led to more scrutiny from the agency's chiefs and Congress, but that's not stopping tests involving pain for dogs. USA TODAY
XXX BEAGLES PET BLOG PET TALK BLOG ER9429.JPG A FEA

(Photo: Molly Wald, Best Friends Animal Society)
376 CONNECTTWEET 4 LINKEDIN 7 COMMENTEMAILMORE

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs is tightening oversight of controversial medical experiments on dogs after an investigation found surgery failures and canine deaths in research projects at a VA facility in Virginia — findings that spurred a push in Congress to defund the experiments altogether.

Nationwide, invasive experiments at three VA facilities are slated to include roughly 300 dogs, including six-month-old Beagle puppies, and involve surgeries on their brains, spines and hearts by researchers seeking treatments for heart disease and other ailments. All the dogs will be killed when the research is complete.

Going forward, top VA veterinary officials will have to approve any research on dogs, and scientists will have to review proposed dog experiments more rigorously, says Michael Fallon, the VA's chief veterinary medical officer.

“VA programs that have dog research as a component will now be visited more frequently by our accrediting body,” Fallon said.

........................................

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/25/va-tightens-oversight-medical-experiments-dogs-after-surgery-failures-canine-deaths/690684001/

[byronius]

1. Gruesome. Gotta wonder about the person carrying out this program. 'Psychopath'.

[jimmil]

2. Animal experiments have been going on for a long time.

Growing up one of my best friend's father was a noted surgeon in the area. He did some pretty horrible experiments with dogs which led to the development of an internal "bag" for those who had their colon removed. His father went all over the country teaching the technique to other doctors. I guess it was better than experimenting on people and letting them die.

[sandensea]

3. Brings to mind the Barrington Avenue (Brentwood) VA burial site scandal

About a decade ago, the VA admitted that in the 1950s it had buried hundreds of dogs and other animals in a ravine near the intersection of Barrington and Sunset Avenues (in the Brentwood area of LA).

The animals had been subjected to abuse similar to that described above, and many were moreover full of radiation.

That alone, of course, would have been an outrage; but on top of that, the burial site was located literally steps from the very residential Barrington Avenue - which even in the '50s was already lined with small apartment buildings.

When the scandal emerged, they simply sent a team of "experts" to give the site a "nothing to see here folks" clean bill of health, and that was that.

[Botany]

4. I love dogs but you can't give people heart attacks to study heart disease ...

.... now if there is a way to do the study w/out hurting the dogs then do that
but sometimes things can't be perfect.

[LanternWaste]

6. Seems the only argument to experiment on animals is "the alternative is worse..."

Seems the only argument to experiment on animals is "the alternative is worse..."

Appears an absurd way to rationalize our sins against life, but that's what humans do best-- rationalize.

[Phoenix61]

5. There's a time and place for everything

That being said, with the technology available, animal experimentation is nowhere near as necessary as it used to be. It should be used as a last resort.

[get the red out]

7. Fuck them

Just fuck them.

[Bayard]

8. They go for Beagles

They're such friendly, placid little dogs, so easy for them to work on. They've done the same thing with Greyhounds retired off the track. Wonderful temperaments, that will wag their tails no matter what's done to them. My ex used to work at Univ. of Louisville's med school. He said they would take the same dogs and repeatedly break their legs, or amputate them so students could set/reattach.

There are too many alternatives to animal research now, but I have no problem with experimentation on people who are convicted of, for instance, killing kids in horrible ways.

Flame on.

[Duppers]

10. You won't get any flame from me, sister.

I'm with you 100%.

[Duppers]

9. Oh fucking hell NO!

Makes my blood boil.

More later.