Georgia Regents University in Augusta is performing unnecessary and painful dental experiments on dogs in its research labs, according to claims by the Humane Society of the United States.
The animal rights advocacy group conducted a three-month undercover investigation at the university and claims the school used dogs partly to compare a dental implant invented by university researchers (in conjunction with a private company) with a competitor’s implant.
During a press conference Tuesday, Humane Society officials say one of their investigators watched experiments at GRU that involved removing dogs’ teeth, replacing them with dental implants and then killing the dogs for a sample of their jaw bones. The group also accused the school of acquiring its dogs from a Class B random-source dealer that has been charged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of animal welfare laws.
The Humane Society has also produced a video, narrated by actress Kim Bassinger, about the experiments and calling on the USDA to stop dog sales from random-source dealers to research labs.
University officials refuted the Humane Society’s claims and denied any wrongdoing.
“GRU’s animal facility and animal use protocols are regularly reviewed and inspected by the (USDA), and USDA has found no incidents of non-compliance,” read a statement by Dr. Mark Hamrick, senior vice president for research at GRU. ” … The research being done with dogs is neither frivolous nor unnecessary, as alleged by the investigation, and is performed in order to develop safe, effective dental procedures for people.”
Hamrick also noted that the dogs used by the university were obtained from a vendor licensed and inspected by the USDA, and that the surgical procedures shown in the video were performed while the dogs were under anesthesia. Video images showing the animals with open neck wounds were taken after the dogs had been euthanized, Hamrick said.
The Humane Society has filed legal complaints against the school with the USDA and the National Institutes of Health.
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