Media
Latest News
Washington (CNN) - The Agriculture Department announced Tuesday it is discontinuing its practice of infecting kittens with parasites for research purposes.
The department's Agricultural Research Service had been using kittens to conduct research on the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. According to the department, the parasite "causes toxoplasmosis, a disease considered to be a leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, especially for individuals with weak immune systems such as children and HIV patients."
The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announced Tuesday that it will refocus its toxoplasmosis research, and that "the use of cats as part of any research protocol in any ARS laboratory has been discontinued and will not be reinstated." Fourteen cats that are currently part of the research program will also be adopted out to USDA employees, according to the statement.
Following an intense year-long White Coat Waste Project (WCW) campaign, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has just announced it is ending all cat experiments and adopting out the 14 cats remaining at its laboratory.
Facing mounting pressure, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday it will cease the controversial practice of laboratory test research using cats.
A congressman from Florida helped end the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) painful experiments on cats.
Following backlash from a slew of lawmakers, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Tuesday that the department will stop experimenting on and euthanizing cats, a practice that has cost taxpayers $22 million, and Republicans are applauding the move.
Facing pressure from the public and lawmakers, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will put an end to the practice of deadly kitten experiments.
The kittens were used to research toxoplasmosis, a disease brought on by infection from Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls it the leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), lead sponsors of the bipartisan, bicameral KITTEN Act, today applauded an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the agency would end its taxpayer-funded experiments on kittens. Previously, the agency had infected kittens with a parasite to perform toxoplasmosis research, then slaughtered and disposed of the kittens once the animals' research use was exhausted.
As marchers walked down East Salinas' Market Street in honor of Cesar Chavez's birthday Sunday, Maribel Jacome pushed her stroller alongside the Alisal Community Arts Network marching band to hand out water.
She had two older daughters participating in the United Farm Workers of America's event – not counting her baby girl in tow – to celebrate the 92nd birthday of the late UFW union leader who organized for better conditions for farmworkers.