The University of Wisconsin-Madison received a citation in December 2012 from the United States Department of Agriculture after a cat was unintentionally burned during an experiment.
The experiment was part of ongoing cochlear implant research on cats to improve hearing for people with hearing loss. During one experiment, a cat was burned after coming into contact with a heating pad.
Eric Sandgren, director of the UW-Madison Research Animal Resources Center, said the USDA conducted an investigation Dec. 13 and found two separate incidents for which to cite UW-Madison, including the cat’s injury.
The university appealed both citations and the USDA agreed to drop one of the two citations. The USDA deemed the other citation, involving the cat’s burn, to be valid.
Sandgren also said while the USDA investigator did cite the university for the cat’s injury, she noted the researchers had taken steps to identify and correct the problem, as well as prevent similar issues in the future.
“Our argument was that why should we be cited when it was something that we identified, we corrected and we took all the proper steps?” Sandgren said. “But I mean that’s up to [the USDA]; it still was a mistake on our part, no question about it.”
Investigations into the cochlear implant research began when People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals accused the university of animal mistreatment in September 2012.
However, Sandgren said the investigation that led to the citation likely did not occur as a result of PETA’s allegations because it was a “routine investigation,” which means the USDA chose to schedule the investigation and it was not the result of a filed complaint.
PETA initially filed two complaints against the university for animal cruelty during research. Sandgren said the university was completely cleared of the first complaint, and he received verbal confirmation from a USDA investigator that the university was cleared of all charges in the second complaint, although he has not seen the finalized paperwork.
The investigator from the USDA could not be reached for a comment.
