Aug24
Stolen Dogs Found in Med School Laboratory
Posted at 03:48 PM | Permalink
| 
Comments (18)
 |
It's every animal guardian's worst nightmare, and it allegedly happened recently to Carmen Valverde of Lima, Peru, and her dog, Tomas.
After Tomas was stolen, a neighbor of Carmen's who works at the teaching hospital in the University of San Marcos recognized him while looking in the surgery room in which the school routinely dissects dogs.
The neighbor alerted Carmen and, wearing a lab coat, Carmen was able to sneak into the facility at the university and rescue Tomas, who was already sedated and strapped down for dissection.
While the school claims that it only dissects "dogs [who] don't have owners," after Tomas' story was made public, at least one other guardian found her missing dog in the same laboratory.
We're following this case and will keep you posted on any developments.
This problem isn't limited to Peru. Animals suffer in laboratories no matter where they come from, but laboratories that are willing to pay for animals provide an incentive for unscrupulous people to get animals wherever they can—often from our streets and yards. "Bunchers" may drug animals, pose as animal control officers, or answer "free to a good home" ads to get puppies and kittens to sell.
You can help end this nightmare by doing the following:
- Never give animals away "free to a good home."
- Never allow animals outside without supervision.
- Persuade schools to replace training on animals with superior non-animal methods.
Posted by Jeff Mackey
TAGGED:
Comments
Now that's just horrible. One thing that America does do right is not stealing pets for medical/fur purposes.
Posted by: Edward | August 24, 2009 04:41 PM
I have no words.
Posted by: Alicia | August 24, 2009 05:15 PM
That's just so horrible.
I wouldn't even know what to do if I were in that situation.
Posted by: Celine | August 24, 2009 07:09 PM
I heard about this happening in the United States a few years ago. The people collecting the animals had a blue van, and when the neighbors saw the blue van on the streets, everyone went scrambling to bring in their pets. When the police finally investigated they found hundreds of pets in horrible conditions as well as a room full of the collars and other identification taken from the victims (sound familiar?)
The id's were used as evidence when these people went to trial. Owners were eventually allowed to look through the collars to see if their missing loved one had been there. That would allow them to sue these people for the loss of their loved one.
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | August 24, 2009 07:16 PM
I visited Peru recently and it is horrible seeing all the dogs running around without any owners. So sad.
Posted by: Sheila | August 24, 2009 07:40 PM
In recent years America has become an alarmingly inhumane, cruel, irreverent and murderous country for man and our fellow creatures.
Posted by: Brien Comerford | August 24, 2009 08:11 PM
I applied for a job with a cardiology research lab at U.S. teaching hospital when I got out of college years ago. Part of the interview involved seeing how I reacted to their dog kennel and observing a dog after surgery. Everything was clean and the dogs were respected, but it was very sad. The dogs in the kennel were in stacked cages like in a veterinary hospital, and of all breeds and very frightened and desperate. They were all crying and yelping at me and scratching at the door of their cages like they wanted me to rescue them. I was sure that they had been pets. I didn't do too well in that part of the interview, though I tried to hide my feelings. I'm still haunted by that day and do not believe in recycling pets into laboratory research at all, and also believe in moving away from animal research in general.
Posted by: Marie | August 25, 2009 04:57 AM
These are truly tragic stories...yet,,,no one is talking about the owners who are dragging their animals behind their cars, starving them, beating them....is it so abhorent that companies do it, when it seems to be acceptable at the higher levels? What is the higher level, if not humanity?
You hurt anything that is defenseless...who really is the animal? I suppose we are. How sad.
Posted by: Anita | August 25, 2009 06:09 AM
In response to Edwards comment: "Now that's just horrible. One thing that America does do right is not stealing pets for medical/fur purposes."
I'm afraid that it does happen here in the US a lot. Its just not publicized.
Posted by: Debby | August 25, 2009 08:11 AM
Dealing Dogs is a great documentary to watch about all of this.
Posted by: April | August 25, 2009 08:32 AM
dogs will bark till your're dead to protect their owner
Posted by: pat ciochetto | August 25, 2009 10:42 AM
Unfortunately this happens in the United States. Animals are picked up on the streets and out of peoples backyards. It is on the news all the time.
I am glad the people got their dogs back. Peru is a bad country for animals those people eat guinea pigs. UGH
Posted by: Robin | August 25, 2009 11:41 AM
Disgusting. It's Sad and Cruel. What Is Wrong With People? Do they Have Brains? I'd Like To Cut them Alive To See A Medical Test. I hate All people were all sick and crazy.
Posted by: Nicole | August 25, 2009 06:58 PM
I have a beagle/basset mix and when I hear about dogs, especially beagles, being used in tests I just have to cry. Imagining my beloved dog caged up and scared makes me sick to my stomach. We need to ban animal testing now.
Posted by: Iris | August 25, 2009 10:14 PM
And what about the "dogs who don´t have owners"?
Stop animal testing! It must be heartless people who carry out experiments on for example dogs. They have feelings and can feel pain!!!In Sweden we have an organisation that gives money to testing without animals. More civilized.
Posted by: Gunnel Söderback | August 26, 2009 07:21 AM
How do you sleep at night? How can someone test an animal? Any animal? You should be ashamed of yourself. There are more of us, than you and you will eventually be stopped. What have they ever done to you? Oh, they bring your pay check? Then you go home and eat, with the money you spent from an animal you hurt. You are sick!
Posted by: Leslie | August 26, 2009 01:44 PM
Vivisection is a dirty, misleading, unethical and cruel practice WHEREVER it happens.
Even though some responsible guardians are found in Latin American countries, most of them do not place any kind of IDs in their animals. This won;t stop the dog dealers but makes the problem worse.
Also, the reason why there are hundreds of animals in the streets is because the local governments do not control the overpopulation of animals with effective spay and neuter programs sponsored and paid by the state. Constituents do not make their voting voice count while the local groups waste their time arguing with each other, doing few spay and neuter campaigns and organizing senseless marches that take animal rights nowhere. It is time for them to work not only in an organized but also in an effective way.
Posted by: Maru Vigo | August 26, 2009 03:44 PM
Marie---where was the facility you mentioned? The location? My dog was stolen by a meth head prostitute and everyone keeps telling me about illegal animal testing places. I live in Charleston WV and people here seem to think the druggies are swiping pets for cash. Do you know where these places are located?
Posted by: john | August 28, 2009 12:19 AM