Rutgers University reportedly euthanized up to 23,000 mice during the pandemic, according to a document from the school’s financial department.
report, first shared by Daily Targum, noted the finding was uncovered in a report seeking reimbursement for animals “lost” during the pandemic.
“Loss of research animals required for student/postdoc training,” the notes regarding the mice shared. “RBHS was forced to eliminate 4,600 cages of mice, each containing an average of five mice. Assuming an average cost of $50/mice.”
line item included a posted loss of $1.15 million.
Rutgers University spokesperson Dory Devlin responded to the report in an email.
“During the ramp-down of research last year, principal investigators (PI) were asked to scale down or stop research not deemed critical,” Devlin said.
“Mitigating measures, including halting breeding and not starting new studies, as stated before, significantly reduced any need for euthanization. Unfortunately, ending studies early can lead to euthanization. When these decisions are made by a PI …, Rutgers and its researchers fully comply with all requirements of the Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,” it added.
email also revealed the cost of the lost mice would be reimbursed from the state of New Jersey.
While the Rutgers situation has angered animal rights groups, among others, the report is not the only one regarding euthanized research animals during the pandemic.
PETA shared the Twitter post of a Columbia University medical center in Manhattan that flagged mice for euthanasia due to lack of starting during the pandemic in March 2020.
PETA report called “every research university receiving public funds” to suspend animal experiments, assess the effectiveness of current plans and transition to non-animal research methods.
“ novel coronavirus pandemic should be a moral and scientific reckoning for universities that have harmed and killed animals in studies that are expendable. mass graves of animals should tell us that cures will only come with human-relevant, non-animal research methods,” PETA neuroscientist Dr. Emily Trunnell shared in the organization’s report.
Washington Examiner also reported that the University of California-San Diego, Duke University, and the University of Colorado-Boulder were also criticized by animal rights activists over euthanizing research animals during the early months of the pandemic in 2020.
Pezou : Rutgers University Reportedly Euthanized 23,000 Mice During Pandemic