I was extremely troubled to learn about the conditions at the Envigo animal research facility in Virginia, where dogs have been bred for research, abused, left in horrible conditions, and recklessly euthanized. I won’t go into all the details, but suffice it to say that the way human beings have been treating dogs at this facility is, simply, inhuman.
The Virginia General Assembly has acted to outlaw the types of abuse happening at the Envigo facility. Additionally, both U.S. Senators from Virginia have called for the facility to have its license revoked. I wholeheartedly agree. A research facility that cruelly causes unnecessary pain and suffering to animals should be shut down immediately.
This is personal for me. One of the easiest ways to get a sense of a person’s character is to see how they treat the most vulnerable creatures around us. Dogs bred for research purposes have no ability to speak up for themselves or speak out against abuse. Human beings must be responsible stewards of animals. Full stop.
That’s why I’ve been working to stop animal research altogether wherever possible. For example, we need to end the practice of using live animals for military field trauma training, and I’ve been championing the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act to do just that.
There is absolutely no reason to cause pain and death to animals to train medical personnel when we now have extremely advanced human-based simulator technologies. Using pigs and goats for medical training is not only inhumane, but it also does a disservice to our troops, who should be treated by trauma professionals trained on technology that simulates human anatomy and battlefield conditions. Medical professionals from all around the country agree with me.
Many of us take comfort in the company of animals. Often, they want nothing more than love, protection, and companionship. And that’s what we should be offering them.
Let’s hold ourselves to a higher standard.
.jpg)
