Mar 03, 2011
Until 2010, Utah maintained an inhumane law that mandated public animal shelters to give strays to research. When a new law was passed making "pound seizure" optional, every shelter in the state abandoned the cruel practice ... except one: North Utah Valley Animal Shelter.
But now, after a campaign that included thousands of Change.org member signatures, a PETA billboard, and protests held by local activists outside the shelter, pound seizure has finally come to an end in Utah. In January, the University of Utah responded to the pressure on NUVAS by informing the shelter that it would no longer purchase animals from them. The U. was the shelter's last remaining client, so now Utah's homeless pets are safe from experimentation.
Dogs and cats at the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter (NUVAS) are ready for their forever homes. Yet the shelter has betrayed the trust of the animals in its care. NUVAS actually sells homeless dogs and cats to the University of Utah’s laboratories for animal experiments.
Until early 2010, Utah maintained an archaic law that mandated that public shelters give strays and other unwanted animals to research. The new law, H.B. 107, means pound seizure is now discretionary and all shelters – except NUVAS – have abandoned the cruel practice.
Image: jeffreyw
Stop Selling Homeless Animals to the University of Utah
Greetings,
I was shocked to learn that the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter sells homeless dogs and cats to the University of Utah for cruel and fatal experiments.
Animal shelters are charged with taking care of homeless animals. Selling animals for research betrays Utah’s taxpayers and the state’s homeless animals who count on you to protect homeless dogs and cats. As a public animal shelter, it is your responsibility to give your state's homeless dogs and cats their chance to be adopted. But rather than helping to alleviate their suffering, your shelter is contributing to the abuse of companion animals by treating them like disposable laboratory equipment.
Utah’s animals and taxpayers deserve a shelter they can trust to protect the state’s homeless animals. I urge you to immediately stop selling dogs and cats for experimentation.
[Your name]