Depth News Story

Paige Gustafson

JOUR 271

Animal Rights

6 November 2012

571 words

Humane Society and IACUC Don’t Fool Around with Animal Rights

            OXFORD, Miss. – Taylor Clark was volunteering at the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society when the importance of animal rights crossed her mind. The constant cries from the puppies and the sorrowful ‘meows’ from the kittens put Clark in an emotional state of mind.

“I want to take each and every animal home with me, but the staff here [at the Humane Society] reassured me that the animals are in great hands and I noticed that right away, ” she said.

            The staff aided one animal from the next, by making sure they were comfortable and had proper food and water. This assured Clark that the animals were their number one priority. Why did Clark have doubts in the first place? Since Mississippi is one of four states without a felony animal-cruelty law, some may question whether Lafayette County takes certain animal rights seriously or not.

             Organizations like the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society, and a committee like the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), represent how animal cruelty is not tolerated in both shelters and laboratories.

Animals in Shelters

            The Oxford ordinance for the protection of animals contains a list of guidelines pertaining towards the treatment of animals. The Oxford Humane Society abides by all of these guidelines. It says things such as one must make sure the animal has fresh water and fresh food at least once every 24 hours. The animal should also be in a sufficient sized shelter where it can stand, turn around, and lie down in a natural manner. Sarah Layton, Executive Director of Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society, said following these guidelines are detrimental to the animal’s health.

“We take these guidelines very seriously. Animals deserve to live in a clean and healthy environment, and that’s what we provide here at the Humane Society. We have a great reputation and I couldn’t be happier,” Layton said.

If guidelines from the ordinance are violated, action will be taken. According to a 2006 Daily Mississippian article, the person will be charged with a misdemeanor, which can include a fine of up to 1,000 dollars or a maximum of one year in jail.

Animals in Research

            Scientists worldwide have argued that animal research is essential for medical progress. The IACUC, a committee that reviews and approves all animal research conducted at the University of Mississippi, can insure the county that they strive to give the best possible care to animals used in their research. Thomas W. Lombardo, Ph.D., Director of the Research Integrity and Compliance, believes ignoring animal suffering is irresponsible and unethical.

“The researchers are deeply concerned about the welfare of the animals they study, and they have a moral duty to provide the best treatment possible,” Lombardo said.

The committee is accredited by AAALAC, the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International. Lombardo said that AAALAC accreditation is voluntary and certifies the IACUC for having proper humane animal care and for using procedures that exceed the federal requirements.

Even though the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society and the IACUC insure proper animal rights, Mississippi as a whole still has a lot of work to do. In a 2006 Daily Mississippian newspaper interview, Cyd Dunlap, president of the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society, said Mississippi does not have strong animal laws.

            “If you see things like this [animal neglect], please call Oxford Lafayette Humane Society to report any cruelty or neglect. You can remain anonymous; we must stop this from happening,” said Dunlap.

                       

                                                        Sources:

Taylor Clark-Ole Miss student and volunteer at Oxford Humane Society

             #: (404) 242-8276

           email: tclark@go.olemiss.edu

Thomas W. Lombardo, Ph.D.- Director of Research Integrity and Compliance

            #: (662) 915-5458

           email: pytwl@olemiss.edu

Sarah Layton- Executive Director of Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society

           #: (662) 236-7631

          email: olhsdirector@gmail.com

                                                     Sites:

Animal Rights. (2010). In Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/sharpecw/animal_rights

Clemmitt, Marcia. "University of Mississippi Libraries Electronic Resource Access."University of Mississippi Libraries Electronic Resource Access. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. http://0-library.cqpress.com.umiss.lib.olemiss.edu/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010010800

Gunn, John. "University of Mississippi Libraries Electronic Resource Access." University of Mississippi Libraries Electronic Resource Access. Daily Mississippian, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. http://0-www.lexisnexis.com.umiss.lib.olemiss.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/

"The University of Mississippi." Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. http://www.research.olemiss.edu/iacuc

"Welcome to Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society." Welcome to Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. http://www.oxfordpets.com/

http://www.oxfordpets.com/media/OXFORD_ORDINANCE_Sec6.pdf