by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)
I personally hate the odds that an animal faces when turned into a shelter. We hear about the adoption to euthanazia ratio and wonder what could possibly make this situation worse. Tonight I found what I consider far worse than euthanasia.
I thought I’d reached my limit with my last article on laboratory pets being abused in North Carolina. In a way I was wrong. Actually, I did reach my limit with that one. But animal lovers also need to know about this one. North Utah Valley Animal Shelter (NUVAS) in Lindon, Utah is selling shelter dogs and cats for animal experimentation to to the University of Utah. They are the only shelter in Utah to do this1.
One form of torture performed on these former shelter pets is to implant a pacemaker for the purpose of giving the animal an irregular heartbeat. The animal is then killed and dissected to document the so-called information gathered from the experiment. These animals had holes cut into their chests and necks where the surgery was performed.
I know medical experiments have to be performed on something, but to use shelter pets leaves me speechless. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t taxpayers dollars used to help support the running of a shelter? And isn’t the whole point of a shelter to find a loving home for the strays and unwanted pets in their care? It burns me up to think of this shelter making an additional profit by selling the dogs and cats for scientific research. Listed below is all of their contact information.
I’m not including a petition in this one as I feel real letters, emails, faxes and phone calls will do far more good in changing their minds about the way they do business. Here are the contact details:
North Utah Valley Animal Shelter
193 North 2000 West
Lindon, Utah 84042
Director: Tug Gettling
Email: to********@or**.org to********@or**.org
Phone: (801) 785-3442
Fax: (801) 785-0514
I’ve looked at the website for North Utah Valley Animal Shelter. I’d like for everyone to check it out. There are a few things there that concern me because I’ve never seen them before.
Take a look at the impound fees and animal surrender fees. They may think they’re doing a good job in charging for these services. After all, won’t “bail money” to get a pet out of shelter jail or turn one into a shelter deter people from bringing them to shelters?
I’ve done several fundraising articles to spread the word on how shelters can raise money. I do these so shelters can make improvements and I also love to write good news where animals are treated with respect and given a chance for a new life.
I don’t like the idea of a shelter charging these fees when there are better options out there. With today’s economic situation, it could make the difference in bailing out a pet or losing it. It will also increase the number of dogs and cats who will be abandoned instead of turned into shelters. I grew up in the day when people cared for animals that just showed up at their homes. This included dogs. The world just doesn’t work that way anymore.
I realize I’ve gotten a little off track, so back on track to finish this.
P.E.T.A. discovered the NUVAS situation while conducting an undercover investigation on the University of Utah and discovered 100 animals had been purchased from shelters by the University of Utah. Two were cats named Angel and Libby. They’re alive because of P.E.T.A.
Demonstrations are being held at the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter and pamplets handed out warning informing visitors of how they treat unwanted pets.
Shame on this shelter. And any other out there like you. Please feel free to respond to this article. I’d love to hear why you think animal torture is okay.
I know somebody will probably make a comment on how a pacemaker will be tested if not on an animal. I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know the answers to a lot of things I write about. But to sell a shelter pet when you’re being partially funded by taxpayers and partially funded by dog and cat “bail” well… just SHAME ON YOU!
Any shelter that has to resort to this should read up on fundraising events. I’ve written enough of them. Start reading and stop this madness.
Readers, please do what you can to put an end to selling shelter pets for science. I’d also like to thank P.E.T.A. for such a good job they’re doing this year and bring these abusers to our attention.
I’d also like to thank everyone at pictures-of-cats for supporting me in my fight to end the pain for animals. I’d like to let everyone know I still write on dogs and those articles can be found under Elisa Taylor on hubpages.com.
My cat stories will always be on Pictures-of-cats.org because the readers here really know how to put the word out.
I do have a few “good news” cat stories waiting to be written. I’ve started two of them. The bad news just keeps finding me first and the good news articles are placed on the back burner. Which I think is sad. My job is to educate, not depress people.
Elisa
Sources:
1. http://ourcompass.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/north-utah-valley-animal-shelter-sells-animals-for-vivisection/.
http://headovmetal.posterous.com/animal-shelter-sells-animals-to-labs-for-expe
http://ourcompass.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/north-utah-valley-animal-shelter-sells-animals-for-vivisection/
Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.
I welcome and value comments. Please share your thoughts. All comments are currently unmoderated.
This blog is seen in 199 of the world's country's according to Google Analytics which is pretty much the entire world.