Dr. Robert Gibbens10/01/14
Director, Western Region, USDA/APHIS/AC,
2150 Center Ave.
Building B, Mailstop 3W11
Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117

Dr. Gibbens,

I am writing to you today to file an Official Complaint against the Oregon Health and Science University (92-R-0001), for clear violations of the Animal Welfare Act .

In February of 2014 the Oregon Health Sciences University reported an incident in which OHSU staff intentionally struck a pig when unloading the pig as the animal was arriving during a shipment. Blood was found in the enclosure afterwards.

This is a clear violation of 2.38 Misc (f) (1) Handling as well as 2.32 Personnel qualifications. I insist that your office institute an immediate investigation of this incident.

We find that it is very disturbing that OHSU staff apparently withheld this information for approximately 1 3/4 years before reporting it. We believe that this must indicate that either OHSU staff are afraid to report animal welfare concerns, or that this incident was deliberately hidden -- possibly until the statute of limitations had expired for animal cruelty charges to be filed. Therefore, this could potentially constitute a violation of 2.31 Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee.

As you know, Oregon Health and Science University was inspected on 7-29-14, and this inspection discloses that two monkeys were burned by a heating pad during a procedure. While these devices are often used as a way of supplying supplemental heat to animals recovering from surgical procedures, this is usually done without injuring the animals.

As you also know, Oregon Health and Science University was cited in April of this year for multiple incidents of inadequate veterinary care and inadequate housing which were connected to deaths and injuries to animals. Now, just a few months later this same lab has injured two monkeys through additional negligence. As you know, the Oregon Health and Sciences University was fined $11,679 in 2012 by the USDA for violations of the Animal Welfare Act cited for the deaths of multiple monkeys.

It is clear that this lab has a long-term pattern of negligence which kills and injures animals which must be punished severely.

Therefore, I hereby file an Official Complaint against the Oregon Health and Sciences University relevant to the clear abuse of this pig. I must insist that your office institute an immediate investigation.

I know that your office considers major violations of the Animal Welfare Act to be very serious in nature, especially when these violations kill, abuse, or seriously injure animals. Since the Oregon Health and Sciences University has a long history of animal abuse which has led to multiple animal deaths, I must insist that you take the most severe action allowable under the Animal Welfare Act and immediately begin the process of issuing the maximum fine allowable against the Oregon Health and Sciences University at the completion of your investigation -- $10,000 per infraction, and that this amount be added on to the potential fine relevant to the incidents in the two previous inspections of 2014.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future about the fate of this facility.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T.,

Executive Director, SAEN

1081-B State Route 28 #280 Milford, OH 45150 513-575-5517