Media release: Massey University dog experiments

Anti Vivisection campaigners say Massey University conducts experiments on dozens of dogs at Jennersmead farm in Bunnythorpe. The National Anti Vivisection Campaign says recent comments by Massey University concerning dogs at the farm are misleading. NAVC Spokesperson Mark Eden says Jennersmead Farm breeds dogs for a variety of often fatal experiments at Massey University.

"Massey maintains a small dog breeding colony at Jennersmead with about 40-50 animals. They are used in small numbers for biological, medical, and veterinary experiments. Massey killed 8 dogs in 2004, and 124 in 2003".

"Jennersmead farm is run by the Animal Health Services Centre, which advertises itself as a contract animal research centre. They recently changed their name to Estendart Ltd and are wholly owned by Massey University".

"A typical nutrition experiment at Massey involves dogs being kept in individual cages for a few months with an hours exercise a day if they are lucky, and then being killed and dissected so that scientists can study the contents of the stomach. In 2001 we obtained papers under the Official Information Act which showed that in one experiment, six dogs had been subjected to 'severe suffering' while undergoing a hip replacement experiment. We were refused further details on this experiment as Massey said it was 'ongoing' said Eden.

Massey University advertises its Animal Health Services Centre (AHSC) as New Zealands 'premier contract animal research centre'. This means the AHSC will conduct animal tests for anybody who has the money. The AHSC provides the commercial farming and animal exploitation industries with access to the expertise and extensive animal research resources at Massey. The main areas of research offered by the centre relate to toxicity, 'safety' and residue determinations. In 2004 the AHSC used mice, rats and cattle, as well as 20 dogs in commercial research.

The Centre is headed by Allen Goldenthal, who describes himself as an 'in vivo' specialist. Goldenthal was involved in toxicity testing on animals at various overseas pharmaceutical companies before he became director of the AHSC and now Estendart Ltd.

The AHSC website boasted that they have access to the university's small animal (rabbits, rodents etc) breeding unit, a small dog colony, and a medium size cat colony. The AHSC advertises itself as offering "competitive pricing for academic research projects" and able to assist with "all your animal manipulation requirements".

ENDS

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