Shelters who transfer pets to labs

This was in my email inbox this morning:
MI- Halt Transfer of Shelter's Animals to Vivisection

Apparently, there is a vote, Monday 12 January 2009, that concerns the renewal of a contract between Michigan's Montcalm County shelter and R & R Research (a Class B dealer who takes the cats and dogs from the shelter then re-sells them to animal research labs).

I didn't know this but Michigan is one of thirteen states that allows the sale of sheltered animals into animal research. At the very least, I am appalled though not surprised. I've been reading Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation & The No Kill Revolution in America by Nathan J. Winograd. as well as Plague Dogs by Richard Adams and they both mirror, to some extent, what's going on with the shelter.

I agree with the email that the practice of selling non-human animals into the vivisection industry is repugnant. Especially as these doomed pets have already suffered grievously "at the hands of humans and a system whose original design was to help them". It's disgusting and completely unethical.

Also, according to the email, Michigan Animal News reports that in 2007 Montcalm adopted or returned to owners less than 10% of all pets received. Sounds like they're not making an effort to reduce the numbers in their shelters, knowing they can profit by selling them to the Class B dealers.


Once I'm done with this entry, I'll be contacting the local politicians to add my voice to the opposition. I rarely speak up on issues anymore but this one grabbed my attention. And, then, maybe order Dealing Dogs, which I've been reluctant to do because of the subject matter.

Oh, and in researching this article, I found an actual site dedicated supplying those in the "animal research profession". Words fail me. R & R Research is listed on their site.

More on Class B dealers, etc here and here.