In a significant victory for animal rights, the University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) has officially canceled its controversial kitten experiments, disbanded its cat breeding colony, and safely retired 15 cats to the Kindness Ranch animal sanctuary in Hartville, Wyoming.
UC-Davis Cancels Experiments and Closes Breeding Colony
Kindness Ranch, known for its dedication to providing refuge for animals used in research, announced the heartening news on social media. The post included heartwarming photos of the rescued cats and read: “Fifteen cats used for breeding and nutritional research at UC-Davis have found their way to Kindness Ranch after the college reached out for help closing its doors on their breeding program.”
The sanctuary emphasized that this collaboration marks a pivotal moment in how research institutions are reconsidering the ethical use of animals in scientific studies. Shutting down the cat breeding program is a considerable step forward in promoting more humane practices within the scientific community.
White Coat Waste Project Investigation Leads to Major Change
The dismantling of UC-Davis’ breeding colony and the rescue of these cats followed a determined investigation by the non-profit organization White Coat Waste Project (WCW). Just three months ago, WCW exposed plans for a new round of deadly kitten experiments that were to be funded by over $419,000 in taxpayer dollars from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
According to public records obtained by WCW, the planned experiments would have involved infecting at least 10 kittens with Toxoplasmosis by feeding them mouse brains, only to euthanize them afterward. These tests were set to begin in 2024.
A Critical Victory for Animal Rights and Taxpayers
WCW’s diligent investigation, which included Freedom of Information Act requests to both UC-Davis and the NIH, successfully halted the planned testing and led to the complete closure of the cat breeding program. This victory is especially impactful as UC-Davis was a key supplier of cats to other research institutions, including UC-Irvine, the Smithsonian, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Anthony Bellotti, President of WCW, expressed pride in the outcome, stating, “We’re proud that our investigation led to this important victory for cats and taxpayers. UC-Davis’s decision to scrap its kitten tests and close its breeding program will spare countless cats from pain and death at the expense of taxpayers in labs across the country.”
Bellotti, who personally adopted two cats from a government lab that WCW had previously intervened in, knows firsthand the importance of such victories in protecting innocent animals from unnecessary and cruel experiments.
Conclusion
This landmark decision by UC-Davis, spurred by the efforts of WCW, signals a significant shift in the ethical standards of animal testing within research institutions. As more laboratories reevaluate their practices, the hope is that this will lead to broader changes that prioritize the welfare of animals, ensuring that such cruel experiments become a thing of the past.
