WellBeing International WBI Studies Repository
12-1973
(No. 26) -- Puppy Mills, Pet Shops and Breeders Add to Pet Surplus
Humane Information Services, Inc.
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Recommended Citation Humane Information Services, Inc., "(No. 26) -- Puppy Mills, Pet Shops and Breeders Add to Pet Surplus" (1973). Report to Humanitarians. 18. https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/rephum/18
This material is brought to you for free and open access by WellBeing International. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of the WBI Studies Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The cormnercial pet trade, consisting of breeders, puppy mills and pet shops, is an important source of surplus puppies and kit tens. REPORT TO HUMANITARIANS published quortedy Many humanitarians seem to think that eliminating the surplus of dogs and cats is No, 26 - DECEMBER, 1973 b"fi,._,.udnt �':;�"c£etvim merely a matter of educating the owners of EDITORS: f. ordinary household pets to not allow their A NON-PROFIT NATIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY' FOR THE PR EVEN T.1 ON OF ANIMAL SU.FF ER ING female animals to breed, either on purpose Dr. Frederick L. Thomsen _ _ to provide amusement and biological "educa Miss Emily F. Gleockler 4521 - 4th Street South, St. Pe�t::i:'sburg, Florida 33705 tion" for the children, or by "accident". Certainly such efforts are an essential part purebred females, with rosy expectations of cussed. By analysis· of data for Pinellas of a complete program for control of the making a nice annual return on their invest- County, Florida, our director of humane edu- surplus. ment plus enjoying the ownership of an at- cation, Arthur B. Brainerd, showed rather But even if these ordinary pet owners tractive pet which might be exhibited at the clearly that the outflow of unspayed females would pay attention and act voluntarily, dog or cat show, followed through on these from shelters and pounds could be stopped which most will not do for reasons noted in intentions on a professiqnal basis, they without significantly decreasing shelter fi- a previous Repoll:t, the production of surplus would breed carefully, limit the number of nancial revenues, adoptions, and receipts of pet animals would, continue. This is because litters to what could be sold on the local unwante� ariimals, and without increasing the of the expanding production of puppies and market, and take the required precautions to abandonment of pets. The problem largely is kittens by the commercial pet trade, includ- see that all of the progeny sold were in one of overcoming outmoded and erroneous · ing "backyard" breeders, who hope to combine good health and females spayed unless going conc.epts still found among some members, di- the pleasures of pet ownership with profits to another legitimate breeder. All too of- rectors and officers of local humane socie- from the sale of puppies and kittens. ten, however, the would-be breeder discove-rs ties and public officials. We are pained to Letters re------�------receive quite a ;�;��1!0�= of-mouth reports y· Pupp· Mills, Pet Shops and Breeders telling��.;:;��::= why they indicate that a are afraid to rapidly-increas- stop putting out ing proportion U unspayed fe- . of total re- ·Add t o p .' e t s r.p I us males. ceipts of dogs Similarly, and cats at shel :.., t.·s and pounds are "pure that vet bills and other expenses greatly many owners of purebred dogs and cats, in breds". These are the pitiful end products exceed income, and that the amount of work cluding breeders and non-breeders, harbor of the system described later in this Re. and expertise involved far exceeds his or fixed ideas on this subject which cause them poll:t. her expectations or capabilities. to oppose enlightened measures designed to Nobody knows the exact total annual out So, these people may soon forget their reduce the contribution of the commercial put of puppies and kittens which can be intentions to become serious breeders. But pet trade to the pet population explosion. traced to the commercial pet trade. But it they have a purebred female dog or cat. It It is almost impossible to even discuss runs into the hundreds of thousands, and "seems a shame" to spay it and forever estop this subject without evoking bitter denunci probably into the millions. Certainly the using it for breeding purposes. So, the ations and furious differences of opinion. number is sufficient to keep the surplus an nice dog or cat, which the owner still takes Even the announcement, in Repoll:t No. 25, ongoing feature of the pet population explo much pride in discussing with other animal that our December issue would 9ontain a dis sion even if many more ordinary pet owners owners ("Oh, yes, we have her papers"), be cussion by Edward Newman, Los Angeles human with no interest in breeding could be induc come·s just another unspayed female household itarian, of ·the part played by "backyard" ed to spay and neuter. pet. And pretty soon, in just the ordinary breeders in adding to the dog and cat sur Were it not for this trade in ."purebred" course of events, the pretty purebred gets plus has brought a strong protest from an pet animals, stopping the output of unspayed' loose one day while in heat, and mates with organization reflecting the viewpoint of females from shelters and pounds and provid some neighborhood male. Now1the whole pain some breeders. ing better spay.and neuter facilities and ful business of getting rid of the progeny This letter, from the California Coali . " '·': ,,, . ·,. . , ...... ,·•··"€tiUC,J'C'1:0rl.½:l'°� p gffa.rnss·c\'lotl•f.tl'cpOS'S nraJce,c ib:le, starts, .just as if the female were not.a !�"t" tion of Animal.. OWne.rs, p:r:otesting pµblica _.,_,.,_,,,. -•"" . 7 . Although the various elements in the commercial trade in dogs and cats for pets might be t,, Q) M t,, divided into different categories, the ones most significant from the standpoint of the pet 0 r1l 0,""° Lfl ,µ M population explosion are: ,µ ti) ::s • ) •rt 0 0.0 0 (1) Serious professional breeders and exhibitors of.dogs and cats who make careful ge 11,,j p.. -ti) z ... 0 breeders are the mainstay of dog and cat shows, and their careful operations involve rela on-P 0 � eQ) z • P, tively infrequent litters and small inventories of breeding animals. They do not contrib ,µ ute substantially to the surplus. Cl) Humane Information Services would be (2) Large commercial breeders of dogs, among the last to cast aspersions on this ordinarily referred to as puppy mills. type of breeder. We do not agree with many These are found all over the country, but u z 1/) who maintain that a crossbred "mutt," from principally in the central states which are '° H 0 r-- ,µal the pound is necessarily or usually a strategically located with reference to ma ., .C: M ·rn • 2 Cl),µ M Q) healthier, better adjusted dog than a pure� jor outlets for their "merchandise". 0 rz:i ::s ·u o ,u bred obtained from.a conscientious and One can get as many estimates of' the num z H Cl) '0 6' Cl) •rt knowledgeable breeder. And we are aware ber of these puppy mills as the number of � ,µ 1-l & rz:i Q)0 n that well-conceived, carefully-conducted supposedly knowledgeable people one asks the � U) Q) ,-j 0 1-l r., •rt breeding programs have sensationally improv question. It runs into the thousands. But � z +l ,µ E-< 0 Cl) .. !J ed the characteristics of dairy cows, racing fewer than a hundred large puppy mills lo H H Q) E-< .c: ...."' ·i-. horses, and other animals. cated in about ten states have so many :, +l our only important criticism of this breeding animals, and so many sales out i .., .Q u or lets, as to account for a major share of the 01 rs group has been that it has not fully seen i ti) � ,-j � s the danger, to them, to the public, and to market. H N Q) GI g LO P, 1-1 pets generally, of the operations of other Frequently these large commercial breed &: .., types of breeders and the commercial trade ers supplement their own operations by buy � in "purebreds", and acted firmly to put a ing, for resale, pup�ies raised by smaller stop to undesirable conditions. (See PET TRADE, page 2, column 1) REPO I � ··--··-··----··------'------Page 2 - Report to Humanitarians No. 26 - December, 1973 Humane Information Services, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida 33705 fee, or to a male also kept for breeding, mane Information Services will perform this PET TRADE-FROM PAGE 1---- but may also have a considerable business important service at a later date. breeders in their areas, who may be farmers running into thousands of dollars annually For the purposes of this issue, which or ordinary housewives who elsewhere would (see Newman article which follows}. deals with the contribution of the commer be classed as "backyard" breeders. These Taken collectively, these backyard breed cial pet trade to the great surplus of dogs supplemental sources of stock for sale, how ers probably are as great a source of pup and cats, such an evaluation of the short ever, usually obtain their breeding animals pies as the puppy mills. They sell some comings of the trade is unnecessary. We from the puppy mills which buy their output, times to retail pet shops in the same.area, must merely show that: and their operations are at least partly but more frequently through classified ad (a) A significant part of the annual sur geared to those of the mills. vertisements in.the local newspapers and plus is derived directly from the trade, be (3) Pet shops which retail the merchan through personal contacts. cause of the actions of people·who buy these _dise bought from the puppy mills. These purebreds and then find it desirable to get shops may also buy from "legitimate" or · MANY THINGS WRONG rid of them and their progeny when the an "backyard" breeders in the vicinity, but de-, ticipated glamour and gold fail to material pend mostly on the puppy mills. Some con WITH COMMERCIAL PET TRADE ize. scientious pet shop owners may take great It would require every page of this Re (b) The corrnnercial trade contributes an pains to insure the sale of well-bred pup poll.t to catalog all of the many deplorable even greater proportion of the unspayed fe pies from legitimate local breeders, with conditions which are found in the highly male breeding animals held by the general full precautions to insure the true breed :ommercialized part of the pet trade. Hu- public. characteristics and good health of the pup pies. All too often, however, the pet shop is interested only in the fast buck, with OO_G AND CAT BREEDING little or no consideration for the welfare of the puppies, their customer$ or the gen AS. A S.OURCE OF ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION eral public, which in the long run pays a by Edwa1td NeJAXna.n, P1tellident, good part of the cost of these misguided op Ca.U6onnJ..a.,Humane Cou�e,U erations. Most.of the dogs sold by pet shops come Even a casual inspection of the classified section of the LoJ Angel.ell T,UTlell will reveal with "papers" certifying that they are pure what is to the author a shocking picture of backyard breeders raising pet animals for prof breds. These are called AKC papers, because it. One of these advertisers, Mrs. A, an 18-year dog breeder, enthusiastically admitted they are issued by the American Kennel Club. that she had bred the astounding number of 82 puppies in just seven-months. To avoid city The people who will put out the money re restrictions of three dogs per household, Mrs. A stashed litters in the homes of friends and quired to buy a purebred puppy want the neighbors. With her animals selling anywhere from $150 to $600 each, Mrs. A enjoys a lucra glamour of owning a purebred, and want the tive business, indeed! "papers" that go along with the puppy. Nat Mrs. Bis another example. She owns and operates a breeding business consisting of 50 urally, they don't want the female puppy English sheep dogs and 100 poodles, many of them;housed in filthy old barn-like structures. spayed when it reaches the proper age, since By her own admission, no veterinarian inspected these puppies for health and fitness. She ownership of the breeding animal carries advertised her puppies as "Sacrifice to Accommodate the Newborn". with it an aura of affluence and d_istinc The above examples are merely two of over 1,000 breeders advertising in the Lo� Angel.ell tion. Met in the park, such owners will T,UT!ell whom we contacted over a period of six months. The vast majority (95 percent) aver discourse at length on the lineage of their aged nine animals per litter, bred at least twice per year, and planned to continue breed dogs or cats and what they intend to do in ing. In just one day, we counted 953 ads in the f,UT1eli and VaUey New6. We conservatively breeding for the next litter. This possibly estimated that more than 82,000 such ads appeared in a year's time which could reflect the chance or impulse buyer of a cute little production of 400,000 animals. We also learned that most breeders conduct their business purebred puppy at the pet shop frequently illegally in residential zones, pay no city nor state sales taxes, and failed to buy a city turns into orie of the backyard breeders who business license. Revenue lost to Los Angeles is estimated at more than two million dol add so much to the .surplus. lars from this source; for the state-as a whole, more than 15 million. There are no "kitten millsll, and pet Genera,_lly, our investigation revealed that breeders are usually housewives seeking breed more animals than we need. Again, an· shops must-·depend usually on the less reli inials lacking certain desirable qualities able types.of -backyard breeders for their a supplementary income, but many earn siz .ible returns. One woman referred to her dog such as championship characteristics are of- supplies of supposedly purebred kittens. . ten sold unaltered or destroyed at taxpayer Legitimate,cae breeders tend to be a close as "my little gold mine". Some dogs and in 22 cats are sold_indir�tJ.y through clubs, pet, expense. One breeder brought' puppies ly-knit group, the members· of which deal to be killed in this manner. among themselves, and they have little to do shops and "information" 'centers. This is done as much for convenience as for evading with pet shops. Miss Celia Heriot, of Pet BREEDING CONTROL Pride, a cat society in California, informed legal restrictions. Los Angeles appears to the president of Humane Information Services be the mecca of the breeding business. Ad We California humanitarians concerned that in her opinion there are only about vertisements appear not only from local res with this problem do not argue that total 2,.500 cat breeders, and few or none of them . ldents but have been inserted by breeders elimination of breeding is necessary. Those is a la;rge�volume operator like the puppy !"> from all parts of the nation and even from breeding occasional litters for exhibition mill. foreign countries. Prices vary from as lit purposes do not, in our opinion, seriously (4) .The "backyard" breeder, who may have tle as $15 per animal to as much as $600. contribute to overpopulation. But reason ,:mly one female which is bred to stud for a rhose who buy often do so to enter the able control of breeding as a business ven 1 ll' ll' 1 $5.00 I) • . icel}ed breeding business themselves. ture should be exercised. . We have taken - l PEE ALL order serve or TAX if Oth CONTRIBUTIONS foreign foreign in cash, Humane �n requests, sam a n Servi = 0 Breeding is not confined solely to house the following approaches: re the e th e a a wives. Even veterinarians and researchers Cl) Sta:te Mlu taxu. The California rwise DUES DEDUCTIBLE. c ' . is lesser e c c eipt engage in such operations, sometimes trying state sales tax of five percent applies to ontribution or or by or as es : amd 9 se I to produce a mating. of an exotic such as the sale of animals as well as to other heck re nformation country. country. money AND a more, will nd fr · leopard cats with domestics. Animals from items. The State Board of Equalization, or unt c y for . . our re er er m : a om eive such matings are often given away unspayed which administers the law, requires that amount :w c if and unneutered when the breeder believes sellers of dogs and cats fill out the'appro ARE of i e so send dues i.pt or c H d they are not suitable for various reasons. priate forms if they sell more than two ani an : i / in An organization in Los Angeles known as the mals per year. Sales must be reported regu .: .I · ; ' �Q.U,Ei!S gf �Q.U,Ei!S ; ' · .I .: -; . · '. '. , 1 : · , I I , 1 D , : : California Coalition df Animal Owners is be larly to local Board offices, and taxes paici , I •• ' 'r:D • . i 0I d I 0 : I i t : : i . i . : • : •• : •i lieved to cooperate with the Southern Cali where appropriate. -The Board investigates :QT: . E3 D DM D:;r ' ' -· .. ' " .. J fornia Veterinary Medical Association for breeders' advertising and even requires pay � . � 1-3 .. ···-.�-----, · ) I· ·a:1 . ---- Hwnaru.:t.aJrJ..a.n My n My I c r ---- t0' I 1· I breeding. ment of back sales taxes. om I ec n y . . . ·wish .I w Humane St. �521 wish wish In a letter (reproduced herein) recently • u (2) Cfty cbUl>inU6 .UC.enl>e6-. City coun is o t e be dU'es .. . -- am am sh received from the office of the district at"" cilman J-oel-·Waohs,- at the urging of.the.Cal h not and a ·· · ·.' Petersburg, e · an e · us torney of Sacramento County regarding the ifornia Humane Council, secured the passage - meril1;> to $___ to to to to - and of$ ed prosecution of a franchised pet shop for of a council resolution in June, 1972, re -- .should wish Informa�ion 4th - --- b make d be be contim1e fraudulent advertising, I was informed that quiring the city clerk to contact breeders e er er •· for - addres address. c c •· such retailers buy large quantities of dogs ,.··· for the purpqse of paying business license Street ke ome an ome a ome --- or i to from mid-Western puppy mills. These animals fees. Several thousand breeders were con ( I' _ I pt a ..I read I arrive often in sick, diseased, and even tacted and advertising dropped as a result. make be understand contribution .. . ----- 1 .. Florida on s . dead condition. They are sold with the ad . . However, when the council resolution was not ($5. ... ($1.00 .. i . my. Pat • - I I kept· on South on I Associate vice that buyers can recoup their initial renewed in June, 1973, advertising increased . your �ervices, as ------: · contribution a iriembershi I r high cost by breeding their first litter; 0 or 00 again in local newspapers. And, although · . . I the the · on · follows:· I• but since most such would-be breeders, ac breeder groups such as the California Coali on I mailing M I cording to the D. A., are novices, the ani tion of Animal Owners are believed to have · reverse reverse 33705 emb that to your more) ..1 mals produced are often unsalable due to im� attempted to obtain special favored treat ------·-- I . $4.99). Member e and 'I proper mating techniques and must be de ment through legal means, the effort was de Inc. . r. p ,I 'I stroyed. In the city of Los Angeles, de feated when the city attorney ruled against mailing I an . I ' and Ill list enclose ! stroying unwanted animals costs on the aver them in February, 1973. side side do ! d :1, age $12 per animal, adding to the local gov (3) Zon,lng enoOll.eement. This would seem �o .. and encl enclos RETURN not ernment's and humane societies' expenses. to be the best approach. It is illegal in for are receive are · Los Angeles city and county together de most southern California cities to operate a li $____ enclose . ose I have stroy 250,000 unwanted animals yearly. The business in residential zones. Breeding is , RepoJt.t s ZIP e . t. correc $ not cost amounts to some three million dollars permissible in Light Industrial zoning, but annua COUPON _ ____ annually. We should bear in mind that for such areas are difficult to f�. If breed - to -- ___ this). cor- nearly every animal produced and sold by ers were compelled to find su�areas, they - annu to be- t. l breeders, another dog or cat must lose its would have to go out of business. The Los - � life in public shelters, an animal which Angeles city council is presently studying - - \ . 1 1 might have been adopted. As long as a sur ways of enforcing this provision in the law. ·1 · l \ I , 1 3, plus existsy it is wasteful and cruel to (See NEWMAN, page column 1 ------,.- Humane Information Services·, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida 33705 Report to Humanitarians No . 26 - December, 1973 - Page 3 NEWMAN---- 2 .------ FROM PAGE or-rn::�Pf ,. THE EXPER I ENCE OF THE J(n.,:h? r��.-FR1C-E D��Tr�·1 :4:;,; l\ 1� er a:�i��� G:':OF,:-:8[:V BVF!t?Ot1Gr"t CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS Wl'f·HC"!" ATTC::UH:V t'i :lC,V\Y.Zf'-ffO CPIJNTY CHlEF tJ�;�'UT'{ FRAUD DIVI,�lON The net effect of pressures on breeders as described above was to 816 H Str�,�t • Room 202 force many to move Ss�,romento, CnllfomiP. 95814 to neighboring coi:nmunities . where restric 454-2,:i?J. tions were less severe or in the process of revision. But breeder exodus from Los Ange Serpt.ci,,bet' 5, 1973 les caused much. concern among officials of neighboring communities. · Thousand Oaks, a California Humart(;il Council growing city a few miles north of Los Ange L.< 432 · Canoga Avenue les, was considered fair game by many breed Wood land Hills , California, 91364 ers moving out of Los Angeles. Late in May, 1973, an organization, The Conejo Valley An ATTN imal Owners Association, packed the new city hall intent upon securing a revision of the RE. · DOCKTOR PET SJ:f-;_,-1i_fd, 1 !NC� city 's animal control laws. Thousand Oaks, -�· like most urban centers, was faced with a . Dear Mr. N$Wman! large increase in animal control problems 1 including a mounting animal surplus. The Your le ttr.?r dated At1gust 12 , 1973 � dirrJcted to John M. P:r ice i CVAO was vigorously opposed by another J)i,.;t:i::-ict Attorney of Sacrn.mento County has been directed to group, Conejo Action for Animals, led by · my �!::tct1t:ton for a reply , �rn I was the p:r.osccuting attm:nsy Mrs. Doris McGruder, a former breeder, who ti; t:he Docktor l'Gt Store c�u�e, insisted that 30 percent of public pound an imals were purebred. Led by Duncan Wright, 0-.. 11:· prosecution primar ily con.ca):'ned i,.t self with the false ,! rH5 of the American Dog Owners Association, the I m:i.BJ.eading advertis ing· by :C'Jckt:m:s of the ir aqimals stctc o,f breeders gave Thousand Oaks a foretaste of the possible result if breeders were permit hcnlth and the pure hr(!d_ qualities of said nnim.sls, tP.d to write their own rules for animal con- · t trol for adoption by the city, in order to By pre tJ:il1 discovery_ �� e sulted in a vastly increased num NEWMAN -- FROM PAGE 3------ber of breeders seeking a piece of breeders in the nation are hard to come by, the pie. To restrict breeding in but the BuU.e,t,ln 06 A:t.omc. SuentM.U ' arti California to manageable propor cle "Planned Parenthood for Pets" (January, tions, the California Humane Coun 1973) estimates that over 100,000 breeders cil has proposed a state bill, "glut" the market. Al Rosenthal, president AB-2271, which will be introduced of the United Pet Dealers Association, esti in the state legislature by Assem mates that there are more than 5,000 "breed blyman Howard Berman in January , ing operations" in the country producing 100 1974. puppies yearly: This would mean more than AB-2271 would provide for li 500,000 dogs alone produced from these oper _censing on a sliding scale from a ations. The American Dog Owners Association minimum of $50 for one litter an estimated that in 1971, 600,000 purebred nually to $250 maximum for five dogs were shipped by commercial kennels to litters annually. In no case U. S. ·pet shops. The bad condition in which would any breeder or agency be these animals are fouhd can be discerned permitted to own more than 25 ani from reading again the letter I received mals. To ensure quality litters from the Sacramento County district attor and to guarantee the animals sold, ney. Clearly , national legislation to su breeders would have to post a Mrs. Edward Newman, better half of the husband and wife pervise and curb interstate shipment of dogs bond. Thus, the bill would dis article on "back is needed ! - team responsible for the accompanying courage novices from breeding, the ends of two sheets of butcher On the local scene, even a cursory in yard" breeders, holds halt fraudulent sales and enable paper pasted solidly with classified ads from the Los spection of dog ads in the Lo-6 Ange.tu T-imu the government agencies involved Angeles papers offering pet animals for sale. That is reveals almost universal citation of claimed to prosecute offenders since the old "Doc", your senior editor, holding up the other AKC status whether the dogs are shipped in bill provides for a maximum penal ends. This effort by the Newmans to reduce the sale of from out-of-state puppy mills or bred local ty of six months in jail and/or pets from promiscuous breeders represents a mountain of ly. Breeders, knowing the almost ma gical $500 fine. work which all true humanitarians should applaud. sales appeal of AKC, do not hesitate to ex Although we spearheaded the ploit this symbol as a guarantee of excel orginal drives to obtain low-cost �pay clin Although opponents of the above plan lence. ics in Los Angeles city and county, we be criticized it on the grounds that the poor EVASION OF THE LAWS lieve that such clinics, valuable as they would be unable to pay the $25 fee, the fact are in helping to reduce the surplus, must 'remains that no plan by itself will solve Worried by mounting public concern.over be supplemented by other means. For one - all surplus animal problems. But the pro- the pet animal surplus as well as insistence thing, adoption of spay clinic legislation ; posal has the merit of attacking one of the of public officials for better animal con- · is slow due mainly to official indifference :most prolific sources of animal overpopula trol ordinances, breeders resort to numerous and timidity. It should be obvious that all ition we have--the careless pet· owner. evasions. A .December, 1972, NW-6lefteJL by animal birth problems originate in breeding 1 The adoption of low-cost spay clinic�, the CCAO recommends the following for Los of one kind or another--from those who . breed : coupled with breeding control mentioned, Angeles city breeders: to make money to those careless or apathetic :would go far toward the elimination of ani (a) Vo no:t a.dve/Lfue.ln lac.al y.,a.p� un pet owners who permit their dogs and cats to im' al surplus. lU-6 a.b-6oMely ne.c.U-6all.lf. have litters for one reason or another. We cannot hope to successfully cope with (bl Sc/Leen c.all-6 c.a11.e6uU.y. But, if breeding is slowed or restricted, ,the tragedy of the animal surplus without (c.) Colle& 6J..ve peJLc.ent .t.alu :ta.xu on the animal surplus will be reduced. 1acknowledging the inadequacy of -halfway mea ail. -6alU . About a year and a half ago,-we submitted :sures such as humane education in public (d) Vo iio:t volun:teeJL :too rnuc.h .ln6onma:tlon a plan to control the breeding of household 'schools. Humane organizations, particular- on the phone. pets. Any pet owner permitting an animal to ly, must squarely face this issue. Their ( el Vo no:t .lden:U6y yoUMeR..6 wLth name have a litter would be required to pay a fee -honest support for efforts to control breed and a.ddltu-6 otc. numbeJL 06 an-imal-6, note. d.l-6- of $25, which would be refunded upon presen ing of all types, enactment of_ which would c.ll-6-6 youJt bJi.eed.lng pll.ogJtam whe;thell. :the c.all tation of evidence that the animal had been reduce the surplus in a relatively short eJL a.ppeall.-6 :to be a. ptc..lva.:te pall.:ty otc. rnembeJL spayed. Although the pro1,?0sal was contin ,time, will be a true indication of whether 06 .the e,Uy c.le.tc.k'-6 066,lc.e OIL a.nygo veJLnment gent upon the adoption by· Los Angeles of or not they really want to eliminate the agenc.y. construction of additional low-cost public surplus animal population. Again, some breeders raise dogs and cats spay clinics, the proposal could be adopted in communities other than in Los Angeles but without s�ch clinics. Enforcement of the The notc.ego,lng me.a.-6UILU du,{,g ned to It.e- ·sell their litters through a Los Angeles plan would be made by the Department of Ani duce the Mow of., dog-6 and c.a.:t-6 6tc.orn "bac.k.- phone number. Others have more than One mal Regulation and concerned citizens who 1 ycvul" btc.eede.tc.-6 aJi.e onl.y Mme 06 :the ma.n.y phone number for advertising purposes. would scan the free ads in local newspapers alieJLn.a.:t.lve. app11.oac.h.u , :thll.ough 6ede.tc.al and report their findings to the authori a.nd -6:ta.te leg.l-6R.a.:ti..on, lac.al oJu:Una.nc.u, PROPOSED STATE BREEDER LAW ties. In a two-month period alone, we dis . a.n.d vofun:tMIJ a.c;t,i.or,.. When Humane In.noll. Growing affluence in the United States ·is covered 3,500 free ads offering 15,000 dogs ma.:ti.on SeJLv.lc.u c.ornple.te.-6 .l:t-6 .t.e.tc..lu 06 partly responsible for heavy demand for and cats for adoption. These ads appeared aJtt,lc.lu -6how,lng whe11.e a.nd how:the -6Ultplu-6 purebred animals, largely reflected in the in one city newspaper , and testified to the i otc..lg.ln.a.:tu, we wi.ll ptc.op0-6e a c.ornple.te tremendous upsurge in the previously-men huge amount of breeding by ordinary pet own · p11.og1tam 6oJt .l:t-6 el,lm,ln.a.:t.lon. tioned .A.KC registration data. This has re- ers. HUMANE SLAUGHTER IN FOREIGN PLANTS EXPORTING MEAT PRODUCTS TO ·THE \UNITEDISTATES Humane Information Services, a tax-exempt effective date a year from passage, to give ter. He is not what could be called humane national humane society, cannot and does not the foreign plants plenty of time to get in minded! Although disapproval by any federal engage in legislative activities. Our sis compliance without hardship. And--very im: government agency sometimes prevents bills ter society, the National Association for portant--the new bill, H.R. 10755, has 15 from passing, this is not necessarily so. Humane Legislation,_ reports that its plea co-sponsors : L� A. (Skip) Bafalis, of Flor :rt depends upon the degree of support for for funds to be used .in supporting the ida ; Bob Bergland, of Minnesota; George E. the bill coming from the grass roots. Gunter humane slaughter bill, H.R. 8055, Brown, Jr., of California; Silvio o. Conte, (2) The chairman of the House Subcommit produced a generous response from a compara of Massachusetts; John Conyers , Jr., of tee on Livestock and Grains, Representative tively small number of individuals. This Michigan; John w. Davis , of Georgia; Ms. Thomas s. Foley, of Washington, so far has enabled NAHL to pay off debts previously in Edith Green, of Oregon; Orval Hansen, of been unable or unwilling to find a place on curred, but there is left only a bare mini Idaho; Dawson Mathis, of Georgi�; Parr.en J. the Subcommittee schedule for hearings on mum for use in the continuing work of fol Mitchell, of Maryland; Johri Joseph Moakley, :the bill. Representative Foley comes from a lowing up legislative bills in Congress . No of Massachusetts; Donald W. Riegle, Jr., of !district· comprising approximately the east- salaries are included in these expenses. Michigan; Charles Rose, of North Carolina; · ern one-third of the State of Washington, So NAHL will not be able at this time to Paul S. Sar.banes, of Maryland; John F. where there are few large cities and members send its members a bulletin outlining prog Seiberling, of Ohio. of humane societies. In the past he has ress to date on the two most important hu Other developments since the last V,[g e.-6:t seemed sympathetic to humane proposals, but mane bills introduced in the present Con were : perhaps in this case he has been impressed gress, the Bayh-Anderson trapping bill and (1) The U. s. Department of Agr iculture, ,by the claim that the bill constitutes undue the Gunter humane slaughter bill. But as which was queried as usual by the House Ag · interference in the. affairs of foreign gov soon as additional action by members is riculture Committee, gave a negative opinion ;ernments, which is the only argument that needed, it will get out such a bulletin. of the bill. · This. has caused some humani has been made against the bill. NAHL re Meanwhile, NAHL reiterates everything that tarians to think that the House Agriculture ports that it has been trying to generate it said in the Humane Le.g.l-6R.a:tlon V,{,g u:t for Committee has voted against the bill, which 1 more letters to Congressman Foley, especial- September, 1973. Any who did not act then is quite contrary to the facts. USDA disap ly from the State of Washington. Mrs. in response to its suggestions still has proval is based on the specious argument -Charlotte Parks, of York, Maine, a vice time to do so now. Any others who did not that the bill requires foreign countries to j president of NAHL, is in charge of this ef receive the September V,{,g u:t may obtai� a do something not required of all packing ! fort . copy by writing to the National Association plants in the U. s., since there still are a ( 3) Nothing is likely to happen -to this for Humane Legislation, Inc., 675 Pinellas few intrastate plants in this country not bill before adjournment of the First Session Point Drive South, St. Petersburg, Florida required by law to use humane methods (ritu of the 93rd Congress. But t!f@ bill will be 33705. al slaughter would continue to be exempted carried over to the Second Session, which Since the V,lg e.-6:t was issued ,. Representa both by the u.- s. law and in plants covered begins in January, giving another six months tive Gunter has reintroduced his bil+, as by the Gunter bill) . NAHL appealed in per or more in which the House might act . The H.R. 10755. All references to the bill son to Secretary of Agriculture Butz to bill then would go to the Senate, where pre hereafter should bear that- number. The new withdraw the Department 's disapproval , but 'vious passage by the House would be expected· bill. differs fr�. the firs�. 1:>Y making the encountered only ridicule for humane slaugh- to give it greater impetus. 1 Humane Information Services, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida 33705 Report ·to Humanitarians No . 26 - December , 1• 73 - I'.1<1 <' •; Humane Information Services , like some Nearly all who read the c<;:mtinuing de States held at Atlanta, Georgia , the writt'l" other national humane societies , continues scriptions in the antivivisectionist litera made some statements to this effect , in <' X to receive letters from members asking why ture already are convinced that the acts de plaining why and how he believes a diffcT L'nt "nothing is being done .to stop the suffering scribed are unjustified and should be stop ·approach to laboratory animal reform is nec of laboratory animals". ped. Our task is not to reinforce the faith essary. Several ladies present , followers We suspect that some of these letter of the antivivisectionists in their cause , of the former stenographer who to them has writers really are asking why we and other which amounts to almost religious convic become an "authority" on biomedical re national humane societies are not continuing tion , but to convince the scientific conunu search , became highly insulted at what they to publish articles and photographs describ nity, legislators and the general public considered to be an unjustified affront to ing and condemning the mistreatment of ani that a great deal of unnecessary suffering stenographers ! "Well, I am a stenographer mals in laboratories. To many antivivisec exists in the laboratories, and that it myself," one said , "and I consider stenogra tionists who also .are _members of humane so could be eliminated by constructive measures phers to be jusc as intelligent as other cieties , "doing something to stop the suf which would not hamper legitimate biomedical people !" She was not interested in discuss fering" seems to be synonymous with verbally research or effective protection of consum ing the issues--only personalities. When chastising the experimenters. ers of foods and drugs. the writer returned to the office and told The kind of highly emotional Emily , our executive secretary, description of the suffering of of this encounter, Emily exclaim laboratory animals, real and imag ed : "WP.ll, I t-!-Jink she is right. ined, which moves these kind peo I am a stenographer, too, but I ple, is exemplified in an article think I've got more sense than a submitted to us by Mrs. Lewis K. Progress and Prospects lot of other people!" So poor (Pat) Coil, of Whittier , Califor old Doc is forced.to retreat from nia . This article, with some ed the fray , licking his wounds, and iting for length, appears below. admitting that some stenographers It is obviously straight from her for Laboratory Animals are smarter than some scientists ! heart . One can sense the deep emotional ANTIVIVISECTIONISTS AT HEART But try to convince a Congressman. If a feeling for the animals which is behind this The two active founders of Humane Infor medical doctor tells him that the stenogra verbal montage evidently culled from reading mation Services, who remain its principal pher is wrong , that she doesn't know what many antivivisectionist articles. It is the officers, both are antivivisectionists at she is talking about, that she lifts state publication of such materials that so many heart. We would gladly give up any personal ments out of context from the medical jour of our readers confuse with "doing something health benefits we might derive as a result nal articles, that she berates medical re for laboratory animals". We only . wish it · of painful experiments on animals, if they searchers for lack of training in mathemat were so, since that would make solution of could be stopped by such action. And after ics and other advanced .research techniques the problem comparative"iy easy. years of study of the problems involved , we which she herself has never received , that "LOVING DOMINION--Is it too much to _ask? believe that it would be possible to stop she applies the term "animal poisoners" to CAN YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF IN THIS POSITION? : many or most of the acutely painful experi sincere scientists who are trying to protect Your breathing , feeling body in a wire ·cage ments and tests without seriously interfer the public against dangerous drugs and just big enough to squat in with head bowed, ing with efforts to improve the health of foods, that she makes a whole lot of patent filthy , hungry , thirsty , breathing foul , ox people. ly ridiculous statements about extremely ygen-free air--almost. Most of you is Suppose, for example, that the laborato complex scientific matters, the Congressman blessedly numb from inaction and immobility. ries and researchers suddenly were compelled will believe the medical doctor. And so You try to ignore.the excruciating pain in to pay $3,000 for dogs, $2 ,000 for cats , and will 99. 44 percent of the public. After the other parts--bloody, swollen, infected $1,000 each for rats and other small labora� all, opinion surveys have shown that the feet (one of which you chewed off so there tory animals. We would witness an astonish public has more .confidence in and respect would be one less member to suffer and cut ing change in the kind of research proj ects for physicians than almost any other group,. on) . Your feet had straddled the wires too undertaken, and in methods of conducting re although skyrocketing medical costs have long. The only hands that ever touch you search and testing . Laboratory administra tended to diminish this veneration somewhat !. are indeed not gentle. The ·cruel hands that tors who now claim that they cannot reduce you feel yank you out of your cage , and what the number of animals used in pai�ul exper ADVERSARY VS, COOPERATIVE APPROACH would take your body ·hours to accomp.lish iments and tests by better experimental de There are two alternative approaches to (straightening out .your agonized body after sign, that they already are doing everything bringing improvement in the treatment of spending a week or month in that vice-like possible to substitute tissue and organ cul laboratory animals: (1) the "adversary" and position from which there ·could be no varia tures for live animals, etc. , would suddenly (2) the cooperative or constructive. tions like lying down, stretching , standing discover that they had overlooked ·a lot of (1) The first ·of these would maintain a straight and tall) is accomplished in just possibilities ! constant, vigorous "adversary" relationship seconds by unyielding hands with a purpose. And we believe that the subsequent ac to the animal-using scientists. Jn law, the But you utter no cry of pain, because your tions taken by the laboratories to adj ust to contending parties in a civil suit , and the vocal cords have been cut out so there will this situation might even improve the re prosecuting official and defense lawyer in be no bothersome noise in the torture cham sults obtained, by substituting more scien criminal cases, meet as "adversaries". Each bers. You believe that the world is your tific methods for the crude ones now all too side cites only evidence - that supports the small wire cage and the operc!-ting table, be often passing as research. case for its client or against the other cause you have never scampered in the beau So Humane Information Services has no side. The entire procedure is based on tiful surroundings just outside . You have quarrel with the long-time goals of the an bias. Perry Mason to the contrary notwith never even seen them, or a tree, or ever tivivisectionists. What we do disagree with standing , nobody except the judge or jury been for a walk. Nor will you ever! For is the way in which the antivivisectionists attempts to evaluate the case at issue to you , only the cage and this operating table have· approached the problem. Their "all-or discover the truth and reach a fair , objec you are now on, with the familiar immobiliz nothing" demands stand in the way of step tive conclusion. And even the judge or jury ing stereotaxic instrument ready for your · by-step improvement. And, even more impor may be biased! open brain surgery, fully conscious, without tant, their strident denunciations and obvi That is the kind of adversary approach mercy . Only now do you truly forget the ously biased "facts" and arguments produce a followed in the past by antivivisection and stump where your foot once was and the big credibility gap which acts as a barrier to humane societies in trying to reform the sharp chain put tightly around your neck communication between humanitarians, scien laboratories. · Only evidence which is when you were a baby and which is now a part tists and the public. The whole approach is against the laboratories and the scientists of you ... I, for one, would like to add destructive rather than constructive. who direct their operations is ·cited. just one more much-needed word to the Bible The general public, the scier:itific commu Points which are made by the opposing "side" -- 'loving ' • We shall have 'loving ' domi nion nity and legislators will not accept our either are ignored or "refuted" by whatever over all of the animals, creatures , fowl , moral principles , or our lay appraisais of plausible-sounding arguments come to mind . etc. , of the earth !" scientific evidence relating to these labo Both sides to the controversy adopt this For over a hundred years, antivivisec ratory animal questions . The writer has adversary approach. tionists all over the · world have seemed to ·three college degrees includi'ng Bachelor and The laboratory defenders are equally equate denunciation with action. It most Master of Scienc� and Ph. D. , but as an econ� biased and intransigent. Even a scientist decidedly is just the opposite. Unbridled omist his views on such matters carry no who himself has serious reservations about assaults on the medical profession, veteri weight · against those of the medical profes some conditions in the laboratories will narians , biologists , and other scientists, sion and allied biomedical scientists. rarely come out in the open and say so. You regardless of the degree in which they may Nor will they accept the highly authori must catch him in an unguarded moment, and be justified, have constituted one of the tarian statements on controversial and com first convince him that you are only seeking biggest stumbling blocks to effective action plex biomedical subjects of a former stenog- . £_actual information and will not expose his programs designed to greatly reduce and rapher who reads the medical journals and traitorous thoughts to his scientific col- eventually eliminate the suffering of labo interprets to suit her own beliefs the high . leagues ! ratory animals. ly technical articles on such subjects as The laboratory people , like the antivivi We don't need to dig out from the scien mathematical models . Congressmen and mem sectionists, seem to feel justified in tific literature a lot of horrible examples bers of the general public will no more give adopting any argument that will cast doubt of painful experiments and tests. Reports credence to such statements than they would on the claims of the other side. One of the from the laboratories to the United States agree to have their office stenpgrapher su favorite devices used to disparage any pro Department of Agriculture required by the · pervise an operation to remove their kid posal for the humane treatment of laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1970 indicate that neys , merely because she had read medical animals is to lump all humanitarians and hu 14 ,251 experiments invo lving pain without journal articles on kidney operations and mane societies together as "antivivisection anesthesia were i:erformed at 81 research in _claimed to know more about how the operation ists", although as many different shades of stitutions in 1972. That would seem to be should be done than the surgeon doing the opinion are encountered among afiimal defend proof enc�gh that painf�l experiments and job. ers as among scientists. The epithet "anti tests cor:tir.ue to be performed in the labo vivisectionist" usually is sufficient, by ratories. And we believe these figures do THE LADIES PUT OLD DOC TO ROUT ! itself, to turn a Congressman, a businessman r.ot ir.clude mar'f or r.,ost routine testing At the recent . annual leadership confer or most members of the general public 1,,!-,ich ir.volves ever, larger numbers of ani- r.1als. ence of the Humane Society of the United (See LABORATORY , page 6, column 1) ,. ·, ',.'• ' ;·�··,.··--· . Page 6 - Report to Humanitarians No . 26 - December, 1973 Humane Information Services, Inc ., St. Petersburg, Florida 3370! entitled "The Animal Welfare Act ·of 1970" down, establish priorities which take into LABORATORY-- FROM PAGE 5 ---- account the amount of manpower and funds re against even the most reasonable proposition (P .L. 91-579) grew out of this change in at advanced by a humanitarian. titudes. quired to deal with each part, in relation The adversary approach to the laboratory Administration of the Act has been less to the budget limitations of the society animal problem has accomplished only one than satisfactory, partly because of inade conducting the project. thing : it has resulted in alerting .thou quate appropriations to employ sufficient Following is a breakdown of possible ap _sands of animal lovers to the suffering un staff. Humane societies have not made a proaches to the overall laboratory problem. dergone by laboratory anL"lials, and caused sufficient effort to see that, now we have The six "projects" include just about every them to give generously to antivivisection the Act, enough money is appropriated to aspect of the use of animals in laborato� and humane organizations which have taken up make it fully effective . In fact, some so ries, broken down not_ by biomedical subject the cudgels in behalf of laboratory animals . cieties have opposed such appropriations in matter (the manufacture of vaccines, toxici Unfortunately, these funds, running into the misguided belief that more money going ty testing, etc.) but by the kind of effort hundreds of millions of dollars over the to the laboratories would merely encourage required by the humane societies that might years, have been used to continue the adver the use of more animals. But the Act al undertake the projects . sary attack on the laboratories, without ac ready has accomplished much, and bids fair 1. Pll.Omo-tfng moJc.e eooec..tlve 1.ie1r.een,ln.g 06 complishing anything significant . to achieve far more in the future . Jc.Ue..all.c.h pltOj ech. The act has too many significant provi The only _significant progress that has Much of the money to finance biomedical been made in preventing suffering by and sions to permit even summarization here . We have intended for some time to run an arti research comes from the federal government, cruelty to laboratory animals has come about via the National Institutes of Health ·(NIH) . as a result .of humanitarians and humane so cle showing just what the Act is intended to accomplish, how it would so so, and why it The applications for grants seem to have cieti es thatha ve tried to follow a more- been approved or disapproved in the past construe� �o�frequently ;ith .the has not so far realized all of its poten� tials. This article, which we are sure will largely on the basis of the opinions of a derision and open antagonism of those who few bureaucrats (no disparagement intended) believe in the adversary approach. contain a lot of information not now known to many of our members interested in the and some cursory review by professional com (2) The constructive or cooperative ap subject, must still be postponed awaiting mittees, many members of which also were em proach is designed to persuade, not force plored by other applicants for grants . Lit ac.tion. Humanitarians are an entirely neg more definitive administrative developments within the USDA. tle or no apparent attempt was made to check ligible group .from the standpoint of forcing on potential duplication of effort (and of other people to do anything . We cannot ex� animal usage) , the proposed technique$ for pect to get anywhere by denouncing or fight GREAT PROGRESS IN CANADA experimental design (greatly affecting the ing other groups that are respected by those (3) Even greater progress toward the al number of animals used), the possible ex who control action . You cannot compel soci leviation of laboratory animal suffering has trapolation to human- experience of these an ety to change its morals overnight. The been made in Canada, under the aegis of Dr . imal experiments, the potential value to so whole idea is to make the people involved Rowsell. In fact, that country has accom ciety of the expected results, the proposed think that they are kind, intelligent, hu plished so much with so little fanfare that measures for relief or elimination of pain, 'mane individuals who want to do the right few humanitarians in· other countries are in or the possibilities of substituting alter thing. Sometimes we are surprised to learn formed about it. native biological models for the animals to that they really are ! These accomplishments have been under be used. All of these desirable checkpoints "The Animals for Research Act" , Revised are related to the number of animals requir MUCH ACCOMPLISHED ALREADY Statutes of Ontario, 1970, Chapter 22, as ed and the amount of suffering undergone by By following the constructive, coopera amended in 1971 by Chapter 50, s. 6, and in them, as well as to the social value of the _tive approach, marked improvement in the 1972 by Chapter 1, s. 1. Although the Act experiments ' results. Much of the effort in laboratory animal situation already has been applies only to Ontario, actions taken under this screening process apparently was di achieved during the past few years. How it have spread out to other provinces. rected at the competence of the investigator ever, those bent on total elimination of the Again, this is an important subject which and the technical laboratory methods he pro use .of animals in laboratories seem strained cannot be adequately summarized here . We posed to utilize, rather than the equally to find anything good in these developments, intend publishing later a comprehensive important considerations suggested immedi and look only on what hasn't been done, not analysis of what has been done in Canada and ately above. on what has been accomplished.• its implications with res�ct to the U. S. In recent years there has been noticeable ,?:; The situation is analogous in many re improvement in the s<::reening process. We spects to the changes in conditions affect APPLYING THE CONSTRUCTIVE� suspect that this has come about in consid- ing labor which have occurred over the COOPERAT IVE APPROACH IN THE FUTURE erable measure as a response to the constant pressure on research institlitions including years. If the first labor unions had start The desirable genera;t. direction of our ed out by insisting on complete control of NIH that has resulted fran agitation of hu future efforts to follow the constructive, mane· societies for federal legislation regu .working conditions, wages and hours in all cooperative approach to laboratory animal of industry and . government, and refused to problems in the U� S. was outlined in R�po.lLt lating the laboratories, which came remark compromise in a step-by-step approach, they to Huma.� No . 1 8; issued in -December, ably close to gaining national acceptance. would still be arguing the theoretical and Be that as it may, and perhaps it does not 1971. A few copies still are available for moral issues involved, without having made ive the Devil his sufficient due, humani anyone who is definitely interested. g any progress. But they moved gradually, tarians who worked so long and .hard in be We have been ·very pleased with the recep gaining a little more witt, every c.ontract half of the Moulder bill, the Rogers bill, tion that Repolt.t has received among con and labor law. and the Rogers-Javits bill have the satis The gains on the laboratory animal front structively-minded humanitarians and humane faction of knowing that their efforts have during recent years show up most clearly in societies. We are sufficiently egotistical borne fruit by influencing the adoption of a three areas: changes in the attitudes of to believe that- it has significantly influ number of important voluntary improvements, enced the actions taken in Canada and in the scientists and hwnanitarians , passage of _the u. s. as well as passage of the Anilllal Welfare Animal Welfare Act, and a .virtual revolution Act . It was partly because these bills, al The constructive, cooperative approach to in the treatment of laboratory animal prob though they failed to pass largely because improving conditions in the laboratories has· lems in Canada. of internal feuding ampng humane and anti three main features: vivisection societies, were so constructive (l} Become as fully informed as possible ly written as to gain wide acceptance in the INTRANSIGENCE REDUCED about the subject matter before talking or (1) A gradual change has occurred in the scientific camnunity itself, that the bio acting. Being fully informed means under medical organizations decided that the wind attitude of researchers __ and members of the standing the limitations as well as the pos blowing down the backs of their necks was general scientific community, some of whom sibilities of the proposed actions, and be- - getting too hot, and they should make seri have discovered that humanitarians are not ing willing to acknowledge these limitations all bad, that not everyone concerned over ous efforts at voluntary reform. and to discuss them objectively with those But the screening process for animal the · suffering of laboratory animals is an whom we seek to persuade. using research projects is still far from antivivisectionist, and that it may be ad (2) Follow an organized·work plan rather being what it should be, from the standpoint vantageous to "both sides " to establish some than engage in random efforts . This means means of communication, even if it is sub of either results obtained per dollar ex not wa sting time and funds on shoot-frorn pended or humane considerations. ject to the limitations of the "hot line" the-hip attacks on scattered phases of the between the_ White House and the Kremlin. If this project is undertaken, humane so use of animals in laboratories. For exam ciety personnel engaged in it would have to In the United States this less intransi ple, when the newspapers recently carried gent stance has been largely a result of pa become fully informed about screening proce stories about the use of 200 beagles in ex dures already in use, and the professional tient, persistent effort on the part of a periments to determine toxic effects of dif handful of humanitarians identified with the capacity of the screening committees and ferent gases encountered in airplane fires, other personnel with respect to passing on Committee for Constructive Laboratory Animal animal lovers acting on impulse wrote in Legislation, Humane Information Services, great numbers to the armed forces, mern)::,ers such questions as experimental design and the Humane Society of the United States, and of Congress and the President . This is only possible replacement methods. A constant the Society for Animal Protective Legisla one of hundreds of experiments 'in which bea check should be made to see that the screen tion, not necessarily in the alphabetical gles are used in the laboratories, and there ing process keeps· abreast of latest develop order named. In Canada, where great strides are better defenses for it than for many ments in these fields, that maximum advan have been made , it reflects partly ,the la others which don't get in the newspapers . tage is taken of important recent develop bours of several humane societies, but more Such an uproar cannot hope to accomplish ments in "information retrieval" to avoid particularly of Dr. Harry c. Rowsell, DVM, anything significant . But the same amount duplication, and that it provides adequately DVPH , Ph.D., secretary of the Canadian Coun of effort and letter writing in support of a for insuring in advance the use of correct cil on Animal Care, who may we ll deserve to specific measure resulting from careful procedures for eliminating or minimizing be honored as world humanitarian of the study of the laboratory animal problem might pain. year. accomplish a great deal. Successful conduct of this project alone (3) Break down the overall problem into would accomplish a great deal to eliminate THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT or minimize laboratory animal suffering . its component parts requiring similar utili (2) Passage by the Congress. of Public Law But it cannot be handled by scientificallr. 89-544 several years ago, followed by exten zations of available manpower and funds , and attack one part at a ti•!!• After the break- untrained humanitarians . The personnel sive amendments incorporated in a new law (See IABORA'l'ORY , page 7, column 1) Humane. Infonnation Services, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida 33705 Report to Humanitarians No . 26 - December, 1973 - Page 7 LABORATORY- FROM PAGE 6 ---- ly familiar with the laws governing FDA op acquainted with the subject matter praised engaged on this project must be able to meet erations, its organization, professional the report as the best they had seen written personnel, regulations and reasons therefor, by a layman. One technical expert for an scientists on their own level, be recognized and compliance operations. antivivisection society and a technically as peers, and by hard work and study become Following an ex tended period of study, suggested changes in trained official of an organization devoted versed in a number of highly technical sub n n e to replacement said they could find nothing jects such as the principles of experimental the regulatio s a d procedures design d to n n _seriously wrong with the article . But sev design . And this personnel must have per reduce a imal usage a d suffering would be e eral of our members who are "sold" on re sonality and leadership qualities which can prepared and thoroughly discuss d with out n n placement thought the article, even though win the gradual acceptance of refonns by the side scie tific experts i the field at is e e n e n n n n n sue as well as with FDA p rsonn l, and an technically correct, was "too egativ " be scree i g organizatio s, committees a d i e f e dividuals, and those at the top who control effort made to obtain voluntary changes. caus it brought out the limitations o r - n screening policies. Only if cooperation were lacking would an \placeme t just as strongly as the possibili attempt be made to exert outside pressure to ties.· 2. Cheelung eomp-U.anee W-lth Semon 13 Oo bring changes in the regulations or proce We have reached the conclusion that it P. L. 97-579. dures . will never be possible to convince some hu At the opposite end of the process by We could give a number of examples of manitarians that any kind of evident bias , which laboratory animal experiments are what might be accomplished by this proce even though it be mere "optimism", can only planned, screened, approved, conducted and dure, but these are technical subj ects which hinder acceptance of an idea by scientists . reported is checking the completed research most humanitarians would not understand We will not convince Congress, the public or for compliance with the humane procedures without greater elaboration than is possible scientists by stressing the favorable points requirements of the Animal Welfare Act of here . ·Prospects for substantial changes ap and ignoring or minimizing ·the unfavorable 1970, P.L. 91-579. pear good. ones. ""optimism" that takes the fonn of ex Section 13 of that Act contains the fol This, however, would be a full-time proj aggeration , unwarranted extrapolation or lowing: _ect requiring the services of a high-priced omission of limitations may please animal "Provided, That the Secretary (of Agri professional scientist. lovers who want to believe , but causes dis culture) shall require, at least annually, beiief and unfavorable reactions by others. 4. StJr..engtheru.ng the nwnbeJt, he.ope a.nd every research facility to show that _profes What is needed is a scientif ic and objec tl6eoulnUh d6 ,ln-hotl6 e. eomm-Ute.U ,ln :the sionally-acceptable standards governing the tively definitive study of the possibilities la.boM:tolUU . care, treatment, and use of animals, in and limitations of replacement. This should The need for and possible improvements cluding appropriate use of anesthetic, anal include "reduction" , which is quite as im which might result from this action were de gesic, and tranquilizing drugs, during ex portant as replacement and involves the same scribed in Repoltt to Hwnan,i;taJu.a.nJ., Na . 18. perimentation are being followed by the re methods of evaluation (see Repoltt :to Hwna.ru. I:h Canad.a substantial progress already has search facility during actual research or :talu.a.M No . 1 8) • been made along these lines , since our Re experimentation." e poltt Na . 18 was published. Nothing is being don now, by either the This proviso by itself provides a great e This project, although potentially very scientific community or by th antivivisec opportunity for putting pressure on the lab valuable, is more complicated and controver tion and humane societies, which would fur oratories to see that humane procedures are sial than others that have been described . nish such an evaluation. We have offered a followed during the course of the exper_i 5. StJr..en. iheru.n ac.ade.mi..c. blMru.ng ne specific plan for a study wh ich would accom e n e Q � m nts. U fortunat ly, partly because of quM.emelit6 -<-n :the ,lome.clfoal huenc.u . plish this objective, and produce convincing lack of sufficient funds for effective ad evidence regarding the possibilities of re It would be highly desirable, from the ministration but also, we believe, because ducing laboratory animal suffering. standpoint of improving laboratory research the administrative officials have been con- e n . and testing procedures designed to reduce To conduct a compet nt study of this ki d . tent to leave well enough alone and· comply would require financing running anywhere animal usage and pa·inful experiments on ani only technically with the .wording of this ·from $100 ,000 to hilf a million- dollars . mals, to have better trained research scien proviso, the latter has not been used for That , obviously, is quite beyond the budget tists in the biomedical fields . all the .good purposes for which it was in limitations of HIS, the HSVS or any other At present, M.D. 's going into research tended and is adapted. humane society with a general program of hu seem to be those that have received pretty The reports submitted by the laboratories mane work. But there are two 'alternative much the same training as those going into to the USDA show that in 1972 there were ways in which it might be possible to fi general practice, except for having more in 14 ,251 experiments involving pain without nance the project, which will be. discussed terest in research or a dislike for the va anesthesia, conducted at 81 different re in a subsequent Repo/Lt to Hu.maru:taJu.a.nJ.i ga�ies of private .practice. This presents search institutions. The number of animals C;1eaiing entirely with reducti0K a1;1d r eplace difficult problems which might be dealt with used in these experiments apparently was hot e n f m nt . given, but if the ratio of animals used to by setti g up two classes o degree the number of research institutions for non receivers in biomedical subjects, those COOPERAT ION WITH HSUS _ . trained to become practicing physicians and painful experiments is applied to the pain At the invitation of president John A. surgeons, and those trained to becomt! re ful ones, the number of animals used for the Hoyt of the Humane Society of the"Unitt!'ld e e e . n s archers and t achers. Th idea of this latter would be around 184,000. And eve States, we submitted a summary o'f : the. 1fore this figure, in our opinion, does not re project is to greatly increase the require going six possible proj ects to ,the'..·HSU S Spe- ments for a degree preparing the recipient flect the full extent of the painful uses of · c ial Study Committee on the use of - animals e e animals. to engage in res arch and t aching , as op in biomedical: research and testing-. After e n n n e n The - USDA reports : "The Department was pos d to o e e titling him to e gag i med two full days of objective discuss,ions, at e There is no sense, for exam unable to identify any experiments where an ical practic . tended by members - of the Committee, - HSUS ple , in making a medical student who intends esthetics, analgesics or tranquilizers could s:taff members and several invited. partici to engage in general practice of medicine or have been used without interference with the pants including the writer, we wound up in surgery take a lot of advanced courses in experiment ." Obviously, they did not try practically complete agreement on ev�ry mathematics , biochemistry, and the other very hard ! ��t. subjects which would be very infrequently It is di fficult to conceive of that many The Committee decided to recommend to used in ordinary practice. But these exp eriments being conducted by that many in president Hoyt the f irst two proj ects listed courses should be re�ired of research spe stitutions without any mistakes of judgment and discussed in this article, as offering cialists and those engaged in teaching or or execution. best prospects for results in relation to other specialized biomedical work . Section 13 of Public Law 91-579 certainly the necessarily limited budg et alLocation to It would be presumptuous for any humani entitles the Secretary to demand access to this work. We understand that president tarian, even a veterinarian , to walk into the detailed procedures followed in the Hoyt and the HSUS have decided to .follow the office of a dean of a medical school or painful experiments . this recommendation . of biological sciences, and tell him what he This would permit various kinds of analy . We believe , therefore, that HIS and the and the university should do . The approach sis� to determine compliance with the declar HSUS are in practically full agreement on would be to f ind some eminent academicians ed ·intent of NIH to reject applications hav everything connected with the ,laboratory an who have similar ideas , and to work with n n imal problem. We have recently received ing o justificatio according to the spe them behind the scenes to bring pressure on cific NIH criteria, to evaluate the possi several letters questioning the HSUS staff's the profession to understand the problem and bility that refinement, reduction and re intention to really pursue the laboratory engage in reforms of the curricula. placement techniques might have been used to animal problem vigorously. We recogni,z e 6. Obj de;teJUnln,[ the OU)-<-bili reduce the amount of animal suffering in llii � that to· anyone who feels this to. be the pre :ti..e.-6 a.ncf� on.o 06 "ne w.on, and "ne.- those particular experiments, and to furnish _ eminent humane problem, as many do ,. the e n pla.c.emen.t e e f e a better overall picture of th most sig if e e pr s nt ef ort may appear too thin. W n A compr hensiv discussion of this sub e e n ica t part of the laboratory animal problem; e e agre to the ext nt that our only r-eal poi t n n j ct will b found in Repo/Lt :ta - Hwna.�� f n amely, that dealing with pai ful experi 10, e of di fere ce with the HSUS. is over the pri e e a:n.o No . issu d in December , 1969. In e n ments . All of this would gain muc.h-ne d d e n e oriti s attached to differe t types of hu n the pr paration of that a alysis, Human In facts a d insight for persuading the scien e e e n mane work, and we would. attach a higher pri e formation S rvic s did a gr at amou t of li e tific community to tak action in other e ority to thes laboratory animal projects e brary r search, and discussed the problems phas s of the program . e e e than does the HSUS . But ·we know it is al with xperts in methodology. It repr sent d n e e n ways easy to spe d the other organization 's 3. Wo�lung W-lth the Food a.nd Vtw.g _ Admln. at th tim of publicatio a fair , objective money ! HIS is still more limited as to ..{,I'!. description and appraisal of the possibili , .... �- .. .. . , ' . ' . �.�',, .� ...... ·• ,... <( Page 8 - Report to Humanitarians No . 26 - December , 1973 Humane Information Services, Inc., St. Petersburg , Florida 33705 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR . ... INJUNCTION AGAINST USE OF We. have. 11.e.c.e.iv e.d .6ome ve11.y pttovoc.a;tfoe and .6umuf..a:Ung lette.11..6 :to :the. ecU:toll. dwung :the. LIVE RABBITS FOR TRAINING GREYHOU4'1DS pa.6:t qUM.:teJt, and had Mme ofi them ail. Une.d up, wilh oU!t 11.e.pliv., , whe.n we. 11.an ou:t ofi .6pac.e.! IN FLORIDA No doub:t we c.ouf..d have. Sound Mme. "filab" in the. a11;Ue,le;., c.on;tcune.d in :tful., . ,u.,1.,ue. wh,i_c.h mig h:t On November 8 trial was held in circuit have. been 11.emove.d to mak.e 11.oom ,6011. yoU!t le:t:te.11..6 , bu:t wilh the. · ma,i_ling de.acltlne. appll.oac.h,i_ng court at Ocala, Florida , Judge E. R. Mills, we. don It hav e. ume. nail. that. Bu:t thu e lette./L.6 wLU keep until ne.xt ume.--look. 6011.WMd to Jr ., presiding . The judge granted an in Mme. ve11.bal bJ1.,[c.k.bat.6 M r ••ill. M the. mo11.e. e.n.c.oU!taging no:tv., 611.om :tho.6 e. who like. OU!t wo11.k.! junction to stop Central Florida Greyhound · And k.ee.p them c.oming . We. don't hav e. c.oMeJ.>ponde.nc.e. deJtk.6--e.veJt(j -lnc.oming .te.tte/1. ,u., 11.e.ad by College from using live rabbits to train both Em,[.ty and Voe.. Tha:t ' 1., how we /maw wha:t you a:�.e ;th,i_nk.,i_ng about oU!t mutu,u pl!.oble.m.6 . dogs, effective Decemb·er 1, 1974. This will On .6e.c.ond thoug h:t, he11.e. ,u., aletteJt we. do want to btdu.de wilh ,tful., ,u.,.6ue.. It .6hoW.6 oU!t give the trainers time to discover and try Jc.eade.11..6 Mme.umu Meou:t ahead 06 U.6 ! out other methods , such as those used in Australia. The court 's action will serve as BREEDERS A PROBLEM IN AUSTRALIA} TOO a precedent to facilitate legal actton · "You put most of the blame on animal shelters and backyard breeders, but don 't mention against· other trainers if they should at the licensed breeders. Aren't they equally to blame? In Australia there are many thousands tempt to continue use of live rabbits . 0 Dalton E. Byerly, our director of field ·of breeders , and the majority of dogs coming foto our animal shelter in Sydney are thorough breds. "--Mrs . Viqa Pratt;' ..Er:m 1.figfon",""N:s.w: �-· Australia . . services, was at the trial, ready .with proof that live rabbits are not used for training REPLY : the dogs in Australia; As we anticipated , We. pu:t muc.h ofi the. blame. on the 011.cllncvr.y pet owneJt, bu:t 1.,he.Ue.11..6 , pound.6 an_d b11.eede.M al the case hinged not on the definition of .60 Me guilty (.6e.e. all.tide;., -ln thi)., ,u.,;.,ue.) . Bll.e.ede.M have. be.e.n ne.glec.te.d, paJtily be.c.auJ.i e. ofi "animal" , which is very unambiguous in the fie.AA 06 o66e.ncllng them. The11.e.. Me mo11.e. b11 eede.M ' a11.gan,i,za:Uon.6 :than humane. Mue:U.v., , and statute, but on the question of necessity . mo11.e. de.cllc.a:te.d bn.e.e.de.11..6 than de.cU. c.a,te.d human,,[taJUan.6. But Byerly 's testimony was not required be By the. way, .thank.6 6011. yo Ult help on Au.6.t11.auan humane. law1., . cause the defendant presented no proof of necessity. Prosecuting attorney Gordon G. Oldham , Jr ., had been presented -with facts EDITORIAL by HIS on the Australian situation, includ NEW DIRECTOR OF FIELD SERVICES ing copies of their laws . We receive frcm our loyal members quite a Humane Information Services is pleased to This case is another example of the need few excellent sucrcrf-"ations about fund rais announce the appointment of Dalton B. Byerly for calm, knowledgeable treatment of such ing , which admittedly is our weak point . We as director of field services. He has had matters. We were told that a representative are so _busy just i ,ing up with the always extensive experience in different kinds of of ·another humane society spent over $500 on increasing work load that we don 't even work involving the handling of animals, from phone calls about this case. HIS spe'nt only have time to think about different ways of a stint in the K- 9 Corps in Ko rea to manag a few dollars in po stage to Australian mem increasing contributions . We understand· ing a humane society shelter . bers, in telephone ca,lls to the prosecutor , that high-quality Christmas cards mailed Nr . Byerly 's first major project for HIS and for gasoline to attend the trial, but first class with a business reply envelope is an investigation of alternative tech what we did really counted. We could have requiring no postage, with personal appeals niques for euthanasia, the re-:sults of which found good use for that $500 for our other from some society officer for Christmas do will be presented in later issues of this programs . When will humanitarians learn to nations , have been highly successful fund P..ey.,011.:t to Hu.manUa!U.c ut.6 . Fellowing the com act rationally? raisers for some other societies . But this prehensive reports on some methods of eutha costs a lot of money which we are not csure nasia which Lave appeared in U:e se pages is justified even though it bring s in much during tlie past several year s, and have OUR APOLOGIESa TO MR. STEPHEN BYRD more than is spent . One alternative would elicited widespread commendation, other na Stephen Byrd, director of the Missis be to enclose a return envelope with our tional sccieties now are beginning to engage sippi Animal Re scue League , sent us an ex Christrnas Re,po/1.t ta /lwnc1 n,i,ta'1.-la no . in serious investigations dealing with this cellent article describing in detail his ob One alert member sent us $25 to be used suhjcct . We welcome these efforts, which we servaticns of the facilities and operations for the express purpose -of enclosing with do not view in any ,;ense as competitive . of the Jackson , Mississippi , pound . We know. this issue a self-ac'ldressed envelope to be "Euthan,L,ia" is so important as a source of that animal lovers will be startled to learn used in sending your Christmas gift for the a vc1st amount of animal suffering , and the about conditions existing there . animals. But we found that it would cost a tccLn.ic,,l prol ,lem.s encountered are so com We "intended running thi s article in our lot of money and require time to obtain a plex, that no single society is likely to September issue , and then again in December , permit for business reply envelopes. -- We now come up with the final word on thi'3 subject . but for various reasons have had to postpone have about 14, 000 on our mailing list, and HIS believes that it wiJ.l continue tc be in it again. Eowever, we promise it will ap to staple an envelope to this Repo!Lt, plus the forefront of efforts to improve so- pear at the earliest opportunity , and that increased· labor for folding , wou ld require . called "euthanasia", especially now that we · you will find it very enlightening. extra part-time office help , which we could have thf' secrvices of Mr . Byerly. Stephen Byrd is a very young man only now not find . So, with a post office-enforced In the course of tr.is wcrk, Mr . Byerly ready for the university, and hopes to study mailing deadline of December 1, we abandoned will vi;;it many slwl_ters and pounds , ob veterinary medicine. But he writes like an the idea for this is sue . serving methods used and offering to help experienced adult , and is one of the most It might help us a lot for next year if wherever invited to do so. In many cases promising of the younger generation of hu m we knew whether or not enclosing a self animals are suffering needlessly because of anitarians, very active for the compara addressed envelope would be a deciding fac simp le lack of know-how . If you would like tively new and vigorous Mississippi Animal tor for you in making a Christmas contribu- · Mr . Byerly to visit your shelter or pound if Rescue League. We old fuddy-duddys of the tion ; Won 't you please answer "yes" or "no" and when he gets to your area, please write humane movement must overcome our conserva on the edge of your return coupon, or in to him . tive aversion to long-haired youths who your letter or note , whe n you respond to our dress with a modern flair , or we will alien Spartan appeal below. And to make this in or stamp on hand , please make an extra ef ate the younger generation of animal lovers , formation valid , if you were not going to fort to do it , and tell us about it. That upon whom the future of the humane movement send a contribution for lack of an envelope wou ld be most convincing ! rests. JOIN US IN A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION To many people uu,th 6amiliv., , ChwtmM ,(;� a time 06 Jou and exc.Uement, 06 11.e.c.UV.{.ng and giv.i.'ng pll. e.6 entJ , 06 tltave.l to be. onc.e. mo11.e. Lci.:th .f.c,ved one.-� . And -i.t ;_.6 a time. 601!. a UWe. e.x.ttr.a . love. 60'1. au.Jr pet ari,uno.,U, wh o wo Me me.mberi..6 06 the. 6ami£y. Emu.y and Voe., ex.e.c.u.:ti.ve. HCAU.My an.d p![ e,�-.i.de.n.t, 1!.eJ.>pe.c..tive.eu, 06 Humane In6011.ma:Uon Se11. vic.e.,� , Me not b£.v.,1, ed wuh lallg e 6amu-i v.,. On Cli/tM,-tma.6 day (t'C. ptobabf. y w.U'.l be. a:t ouJt dv.,k.6, Jeq_y@irisflllils :t/1.y.ln.g to c.a,tc.h up wUh the. c.onJ.tan.t.R y--<..11cJtea.�1ng e aad t• 6 wotr..k. 1t1h.-<.ch ,u., a 11.v.,uLt o 6 :t.lte gtr.a;tl 6 y ing .6uc.ceJ.,J 06 oiVt Muety. &it' we w. Uf be .tlu.n/:.,lng about ctU oul[ good 6tie.nd.6 who hav e cc• n t.'1.,[bute.d to th-ui JUC.C.UJ , a.nd 11.e.ad-lng .the C/z,1,i,-� tn1a� cMd-� wfuclz M many en yo u aJte fund e.nouglt .to Hn.d. You Me ouJt 6am.lly, and a.el .tlze a1wnc1.C.J we toge.theJL Me helping ma.u be. con.6-<.deJted oU!t - - 6amUy pw--: That mea.n.6 we ha.ve mll'Uan.-6 c 0 pe.t.6 a.ft ovVt .the wotr..ed. Fotr.. you and we .tog e:the11. 11.e.aUy Me .touc.lun.g .the. Uvv., 06 .the.li e anlma.l!. .ui .60 man y way1, aJ a tr.e-!>u•.e.t 06 the pl1.0jec.t.6 you 6,[nanc.e and we c.ondue,t. So we don't ILeo.U.y 6ee.R frnu.y 011 C/vr,(;�.tmM , .t.a lung cMe c6 the an,i,mw . We. c.an. almo.t.t .t.e.e., he.an. and .touc.h them, M we move about .the 0 6 6;, c.e. . We hope. :t.lza:t cult many me.mbeM who W'U.te .to My .they wa ha.ve 0e.iv 6run-<.ly tiu (u.ue 6ed'. on C/!IL,U,tnKUi M we do . I:t';., a gnea:t 6ee..t'. in.g . TheJte ,u., on.e t«ty you c.an be. 1teplte.1> e.nted hc.Jte, hetplng u-!> to c.eleb.'Ut.te. a joljou1., oc.c.Mion: by 1,e.n.clln.g a Chlu.6.tmcu, g,[6.t .to .the mumai-6 , a· gi6t O\'C't. and abeve youn. 1te.gu.lM. men1beM/up · dtte-!i OIL c.on.;f:JubUU.On.&. We Jz.e.a.Uy neg.1t.e;t .tha..t we. Me toe 611,1.,u he.lpi.ng the a1U:n1a.t'.J .to -6 end a Ch-w.tmM c.M.d aHd le:t .te/1. .to e.ac.h 06 you. Bu:t th-w pJUnted mUMg e c:om� no ic.�-6 o,'tcm cu 't hc..cvr.:t.6 . We. love. you aU. S.{.HCQ.'l.C..f.y, ¥appq Xem- ijear f� F. 1Cdl'�{·L·/:. . L. T' ,:,'l'l�CI: 1 r•c'l<·-1,1 � - .Lt .L �.,, l ·--� ------