University of Utah Cited by Dept. of Agriculture

They received citations for animal welfare infractions, although apparently few of these infractions overlap with PETA claims from an undercover investigation.

The Salt Lake Tribune claims the infractions are only minor (interesting how different publications will provide different spins).

You decide.

From the Deseret News...

A kitten died from dehydration as a result of too much medication, individual primates were neglected for days at a time, mice and Guinea pig cages were found to be overcrowded, and calves may have been exposed to painful situations for too long, but University of Utah officials maintain that none of the most recent animal-testing violations, released Wednesday by the United States Department of Agriculture, were intentional.

Utah Ends Forced Pound Seizures

Now animal shelters have the right to refuse to release animals to the University of Utah for animal research. Previously, they were required to allow these "pound seizures." Davis County Animal Shelter, a key supplier to the University of Utah, has already ceased this practice.

Good. I wish the whole practice had been outlawed, but at least now shelters can respond to public pressure.

University of Utah Continues Getting Bad Press

Most of their animals get put down.

Investigative journalism by the Salt Lake Tribune, following-up on allegations levelled by PETA against the University of Utah's Comparative Medicine Center and the Cardiovascular Research & Training Institute laboratories revealed the two laboratories had used 190 dogs and cats in 2009, all obtained from shelters. Researchers told the Tribune that the testing gave the shelter animals "a second chance at life," while records obtained by the Tribune revealed that the labs had killed 116 of the 190 strays last year. Only 74 animals survived the research process to be adopted out as pets.

Putting a Happy Face on Utah's Animal Research Program

PETA's undercover investigation showed some really questionable practices going on in the University of Utah's animal research program. Here, the Salt Lake Tribune tries to smooth things over by showing the "happy side," by talking about the research subjects that end up being adopted.

Well, I guess those are the lucky ones. What if an animal doesn't make it through? So sad, too bad?