Loyola’s Medical School Slammed Over Mistreating Animals

Inspections of Loyola University’s medical school run by the US Department of Agriculture revealed numerous violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, which resulted in the deaths of rabbits and dogs.

Stop Animal Exploitation NOW based in Milford, Ohio required the inspections, which were made from 2006 to 2007. The inspectors found poor veterinary care, inadequately trained personnel, and sloppy record keeping. This behavior led to the death of five dogs and seven rabbits, the inspections found.

“If a medical school can’t adequately supervise experiments involving dogs and rabbits, then those projects should be immediately terminated,” Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation NOW was quoted as saying by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Findings of the inspections included leaving dogs unsupervised after they had suffered surgery. This led to complications in five of them, which died the following day.

“We would call them the worst laboratory in the state of Illinois and possibly one of the worst in the nation,” Budkie added.

On the other hand, USDA spokesperson, Karen Eggert, said the incidents at Loyola University were just “isolated incidents. We went back, and there haven’t been any further violations.”

The USDA did not fine or discipline the school.

Meanwhile, research studies “in which animal health of welfare was at risk” have been discontinued, Jim Ritter, a spokesman for Loyola said.