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- Common Interest - Science
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- I've formed this group so that those who support animal research can display accurate information. I want people who have first hand experience (professors, technicians, students, ...etc) with animal research or experiments to step forward and show your support.
This group was created because the "STOP DOGS AND PUPPIES FROM BEING MURDERED AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY" group's creator kept deleting posts when people who supported animal research would have a rebuttal. I will not delete posts! I... (read more) - Privacy Type:
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- Name:
- DALHOUSIE UNIVERITY SUPPORTERS: DOGS AND PUPPIES ARE NOT BEING MURDERED!!!!
- Category:
- Common Interest - Science
- Description:
- I've formed this group so that those who support animal research can display accurate information. I want people who have first hand experience (professors, technicians, students, ...etc) with animal research or experiments to step forward and show your support.
This group was created because the "STOP DOGS AND PUPPIES FROM BEING MURDERED AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY" group's creator kept deleting posts when people who supported animal research would have a rebuttal. I will not delete posts! I... (read more) - Privacy Type:
- Open: All content is public.
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Towards an educated discourse
New Facebook groups come to Dalhousie's defence
By Marilyn Smulders
"Using animals for research is a privilege and a responsibility that Dalhousie University takes very seriously," says Sylvia Craig, University Director of Animal Care. (Pearce photo)
A Facebook group alleging the murder of dogs and puppies at Dalhousie is back, but so are a number of new groups on the other side of the issue.
After Facebook shut down "Stop Dogs and Puppies from being murdered at Dalhousie University" last Wednesday, the group and its discussion wall reappeared two days later. The group now has more than 21,000 members.
The group's creator claims dogs and puppies are being used in research at Dalhousie and urges people to sign an online petition.
In fact, Dalhousie does not use dogs in any university research. Nor was the group's photo which shows at forlorn Beagle pup in a cage taken at the university.
"When the original Facebook group came back on, we decided enough was enough. Someone has to stick their necks out and do something about it," says Mike Wong, who is going into his third year of neuroscience studies at Dalhousie. "I work in a psych lab here at Dal, and everyone was at various points of enragement."
Mr. Wong's group is called Stop People From Spreading Lies About Animal Cruelty at Dalhousie. Created on Saturday, it has 300 members and is growing quickly. Another new group, Dalhousie University Supporters: Dogs and Puppies are Not Being Murdered, went up on Sunday.
"Educated and civilized level of discourse"
Mr. Wong, who works in a Dalhousie laboratory on an NSERC internship, says he and fellow Dal students want to encourage a more "educated and civilized level of discourse" on the issue of animal research. When he added comments to the wall on the "Stop Dogs..." group, his posts were answered with "immature replies, insults and obscenities." Other posts the creator doesn't agree with are hidden and marked as "irrelevant."
"People respond in a really emotional fashion," he says. "But what dismays me is that Dalhousie is being smeared. These negative opinions about Dal are being formed on baseless lies."
Dalhousie abides by the most stringent systems for monitoring animal welfare in the country. The University Committee on Laboratory Animals (UCLA), comprised of Dalhousie scientists, veterinarians and external community members, approves all proposed projects involving animals in conjunction with guidelines laid out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC).
Top quality care to research animals
"Using animals for research is a privilege and a responsibility that Dalhousie University takes very seriously," says Sylvia Craig, University Director of Animal Care. "In accordance with guidelines established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care, all animal research conducted at Dalhousie must first be evaluated to make sure it is ethical and has a valid scientific purpose.
"Although almost everyone would prefer not to use animals for research, it remains true that most medical advances depend on the use of animals at some level. Dalhousie has a dedicated staff of animal care technicians and veterinarians who provide top quality care to research animals."
Dalhousie facilities are monitored by the CCAC in scheduled and unscheduled visits to ensure that optimal standards for the humane care and treatment of animals are maintained.
"Dalhousie is not using dogs and puppies in research, so the group's fundamental premise is factually incorrect," adds Charles Crosby, university spokesperson. "We're following this situation very closely and are talking to legal counsel about our options.
"But we respect that some degree of dialogue is now able to take place. We're inspired that many members of the Dalhousie community and beyond are using this opportunity to engage in critical and thoughtful debate on the subject. We hope that their reasoned efforts are able to break through the digital clutter and inform others about the research that takes place here at Dalhousie."
Facebook frenzy
Dal responds to false online allegations of animal cruelty
By Ryan McNutt
Facebook removes pages deemed defamatory and fraudulent. (Abriel photo)
Facebook has removed a group from its service that falsely accused Dalhousie University of killing dogs and puppies in its research.
On Monday, Dalhousie asked Facebook to shut down the group on the basis that it violated Facebook’s terms of service which forbid the transmission of defamatory and fraudulent information. The group, called “Stop Dogs and Puppies from being murdered at Dalhousie University,” claimed dogs and puppies are being used for scientific and medical research at Dalhousie.
In fact, Dalhousie has not used dogs in any university research in more than a decade. Moreover, the photo used by the group was not taken at Dalhousie University.
“The tipping point, from our perspective, was when the group’s creator removed the discussion wall,” said Jim Vibert, Assistant Vice-President of Communications and Marketing. “Originally, there was energetic discussion taking place in the group, with several Dalhousie students questioning the accusations. Given the open discussion, we had no problem with the group continuing at that point.
“But when the group’s creator took down the discussion wall after people were criticizing the inaccuracies, the content that remained was just flat-out wrong, and that’s something that our university simply could not tolerate.”
Facebook is Canada’s most popular website, a social networking sensation that makes it easy to spread the word about an event or cause. Members of a Facebook group sign up to show their support for a common interest and can post comments, although the creator of this group shut down discussion after "too many complaints from people." The group was created in late July but caught fire last week, gaining more than 15,000 new members. The vast majority of the members appeared to be high school students.
Dalhousie has one of the most stringent systems for monitoring animal welfare in the country. The University Committee on Laboratory Animals (UCLA), which consists of Dalhousie scientists, veterinarians and external community members, approves all proposed projects involving animals in conjunction with guidelines laid out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). These guidelines are followed by all Canadian universities. Dalhousie facilities are monitored by the CCAC in scheduled and unscheduled visits to ensure that optimal standards for the humane care and treatment of animals are maintained.
“Dalhousie University has always closely followed the guidelines established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care,” said University Veterinarian Sylvia Craig. “The ethical and humane treatment of any animals in our care is of the utmost priority.”
Carl Breckenridge, Vice-President, Research, emphasized that Dalhousie supports efforts to reduce the use of animals in research, but recognizes that responsible animal research plays a vital role in developing treatments for global ailments such as cancer, AIDS, and Multiple Sclerosis. “Any animal research undertaken at Dalhousie is conducted with rigorous attention to high ethical standards and humane care of the animals,” he said.
For more information on the University Committee on Laboratory Animals, visit: animalethics.dal.ca