Where do animals used in laboratory testing come from?
Victim of Pound Seizure: Meet Cruella (E6993)
Pound seizure is the sale or release of dogs and/or cats from a pound or shelter to a research, testing, or educational
facility. Every year, millions of animals in need of sanctuary enter animal shelters across the country. While many are lucky
enough to find new homes, hundreds become victims of pound seizure, as they are purchased by class B dealers who then sell the
animals at an enormous profit to research and education facilities, where they are used in invasive and oftentimes painful
experimental procedures.
Such was the case with Cruella, a shepherd cross who was found in Carson City, Michigan, wearing a purple collar and chain,
indicating that she was once someone's companion animal. Considered a stray at the time, Cruella was housed in pen 20 at
Montcalm County Animal Control until she was relinquished to R&R Research, a class B animal dealer, and became known
simply as E6993. She remained at R&R for 6 months, likely spending most of her time alone, confined in a cage with
limited human companionship.
Later, traveling well over 1,000 miles with 13 other dogs, E6993 was sold to the University of Florida, where veterinary
students named her Cruella. While there, over a period of 7 months, she was sedated or anesetized 7 times, often for hours
at a time, and used in medical training procedures, including endoscopy, abdominal surgery, and ultrasound exercises, by
both veterinary students and veterinarians. Cruella also underwent surgery with the intention to spay her, but it was
discovered, after her abdominal cavity was opened, that she was already spayed, further pointing to the fact that she
was once someone's pet. During her last month at the University, Cruella twice experienced a lack of appetite; however,
reportedly, she would eat handfuls of canned food. Whether this was the result of kennel stress after months of
isolation and exploitation or the physical toll of enduring multiple sedations and veterinary procedures is unknown,
but it is certainly likely.
On July 23, 2008, 195 days after her arrival at the University of Florida and over a year after she was found in Michigan,
Cruella was killed via lethal injection.(courtesy of www.aavs.org)
Ohio State Law regarding Disposition of Dogs
Agriculture, Animals & Fences Dogs) 955.16 Disposition of dogs (pound seizure and decompression chamber)
1957, amended 1992
Summary: Requires that dogs seized and impounded by the county dog warden be kept, housed and fed for 3 days
unless: immediate humane destruction is necessary because the dog is diseased or injured (licensed vet or vet
tech must certify the necessity if the dog is registered); or the dog is registered but attempts to notify the
owner have failed (dog must be kept, housed and fed for 14 days); or the warden contacted the owner, who has
requested that the dog remain in the pound until she can redeem the dog (results in an additional 48 hours to
redemption period) Dogs not redeemed will be donated to any non-profit agency that trains guide dogs, hearing
dogs or support dogs which requests the dogs. Then, the remaining dogs can be sold for $3 to Ohio nonprofit
teaching or research facility. These dogs must be available for inspection by humane society to prevent animal
cruelty. Dogs can be humanely destroyed only after they have been offered for research institutions that have
requested dogs from the pound. Owners of registered dogs can specify in writing, at the time of relinquishment
to the pound, that the dog must not be used for research. Research and teaching institutions must maintain a
record of all dogs received and the source that supplied the dogs for 3 years after acquisition. Prohibits the
destruction of any dog using high altitude decompression chamber or any method that does not immediately and
painlessly render the dog initially unconscious and subsequently dead. Note: Court found that this statute does
not prohibit carbon monoxide chamber for euthanasia (State ex rel. Phelps v. Columbiana County Commrs.,
125 OApp3d 414, 708 NE 2d 784(1998)
