SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – After an eight month undercover investigation, PETA is accusing the University of Utah of “Animal neglect and abuse in their research labs.”
PETA claims, about a year ago, there were numerous complaints from local advocates. This led them to go inside the university’s labs where they gathered hundreds of hours of hidden camera video.
The video was taken by a PETA investigator between February and October of 2009. This investigator was working as an animal care taker inside the experimental labs.
PETA’s accusations against the university include, animals consistently left without food or water, frequently denied veterinary care and dead animals being left and ignored for days.
According to state law, animal shelters must be willing to sell animals for the purposes of research. The University of Utah received some of its animals from the Davis county, North Utah Valley and Tooele City animal shelters.
University officials say the minutes of video pieced together from eight months is taken out of context and is being used as propaganda.
“As we look through these allegations we didn't see anything that suggested any kind of systematic problems in management of our animal facility,” said Tom Park, Vice President of Research at the University of Utah.
PETA has filed complaints with the U.S Department of Agriculture, the National Institute of Health and the Humane Society of Utah. They also sent a letter to the university requesting animal care records and minutes from different oversight committees.
