HSUS Funding School Accused of “Pound Seizure”

Is the Humane Society of the United States funding a school that obtains shelter animals for research?

Here’s the backstory: The LSU School of Medicine is the subject of a complaint accusing the school of violating the Animal Welfare Act. The school allegedly violated the AWA by buying dogs from a pet shelter unlicensed to sell animals for scientific research. The complaint also alleges the school didn’t keep proper documentation of the animals.

The AWA, passed in 1966, sets guidelines for proper care of animals in research facilities, as well as animal dealers, transporters, and exhibitors.

Pound seizure is the process in which animals are sold from shelters to be used for research purposes. This is obviously controversial: People expect animals in shelters will be found new homes, not be tested on.

The irony of the situation is that HSUS, which has given at least $800,000 to the university, initially formed in 1954 (splitting from the American Humane Association) because it was categorically against pound seizure.

The university denies wrongdoing, saying it wanted cadavers. And some of the allegations come from PETA—not exactly the most reliable group. You can read more about the situation here, and it’s apparently gotten quite messy.

But from what we’ve seen, there’s been no comment from HSUS. Shouldn’t the country’s self-proclaimed leading humane group have something to say?