Fatal dog experiments moving ahead despite criticism from Congress

[98valk]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/01/veterans-affairs-fatal-dog-research-paralysis/1826889002/

what a waste of tax payer money. most of this testing has been done by the medical industry.


The Department of Veterans Affairs is pushing forward with invasive and ultimately fatal experiments on dogs as part of the VA's medical research program, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.

The controversial procedures previously sparked outrage and opposition from some veterans’ advocates and prompted strict restrictions from Congress. The VA says the studies could produce discoveries that may help veterans suffering from spinal cord or breathing problems.

In Milwaukee, the experiments call for researchers to remove sections of dogs’ brains to test neurons that control breathing before the animals are killed by lethal injection, research records show.

In Cleveland, tests involve using electrodes on dogs’ spinal cords to measure cough reflexes before and after severing the cords.

In Richmond, Virginia, experiments include implanting pacemakers in dogs, then inducing abnormal heart rhythms and running the animals on treadmills to test cardiac function before euthanizing them by injection or draining their blood.

[Patrick]

This seems to be the kind of subject that bothers most folks and we don't quite know how to respond. I'm one.

[3fan4life]

While it's disturbing to think about them using dogs for this research.
I'd rather that they use dogs than Vets.

I doubt that anyone would be upset if they were using rats or mice instead.

[Gavin_Sons]

or pigs, at least you could get some bacon after the fact.

[98valk]

what is disturbing is the misuse of taxpayer money, since all of the testing they want to do has already been done yrs ago, mainly with monkeys. they are going to repeat same testing only a little different which will mean nothing to justify the spending.

yrs ago there was a naval research outfit in maryland that spent 7 yrs developing a more efficient gas for fluorescent lights. engineers, Scientist and phd doctor salaries were paid for 7 yrs which led to nothing, but a report.

[J.Mencalice]

Start by emailing your state senators and congresspersons with a message attached that you hope that they will rally their colleagues to halt the experiments and then eliminate them entirely.

Most can be reached by typing in their last name and then adding (xxxxx.senate.gov & xxxxx.house.gov), or you'll be directed to their congressional website.
It takes all of 5-7 minutes per email; I figure it's worth that little of an effort to try and get it stopped.

Killing these animals is old school as many research projects can be performed in a virtual reality/holographic methodology.  Beagles are used mostly as they are friendly and passive towards their handlers.

[Patrick]

I learned long ago that agencies do not like to share information. They tend to like to create their own empires [ in more than just this subject].