Brief Update on Dogs at UCSF ... Lawsuit Against UCSF

October 27, 2005

Dear Animal Advocates, Companions, Guardians, Vigilers, Lovers and Liberators,

Brief update on Use of Dogs at UCSF: UCSF's Ara Tahmassian, Vice Chancellor of Research, stated (in a letter to Editor of SF Bay Guardian earlier this month) that researchers have found a way to use mice in place of some of the dogs in 2 research projects (re congestive heart failure), which originally were going to use about 750 dogs. Further, he said that they will use less than 75 dogs for both projects combined over the next three years. Yet UCSF has not provided documentation to back up Mr. Tahmassian's statement - I'll believe what he said when I see the current protocols for the projects. Maybe that will be soon since a lawyer has filed a lawsuit on my behalf to obtain records regarding dogs (as well as other animals) at UCSF.

Besides my request for protocols on dogs, the lawsuit concerns my requests for information on the usage of UCSF's Mission Bay campus as it pertains to care and use of animals; documentation on "breakthroughs" that came about because of use of animals in research, according to Ara Tahmassian in an article in the SF Chronicle last year; various documents regarding dogs (e.g., receipts, transportation, disposition, etc.) at UCSF; and current protocols involving nonhuman primates, sheep, pigs and cats. A hearing date is scheduled for December 1st.

Bob O'Brien

FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.