In a letter to the University of Georgia, CAARE urges key administrators to develop a plan to commit to phase out animal experiments. By shifting to modern, non-animal research methods, UGA will align with recent FDA and NIH initiatives calling for a phase out of animal experiments to improve scientific outcomes and prevent animal suffering. This shift for UGA is particularly compelling in light of repeated animal welfare violations that led to federal fines and critical incidents.
ATHENS, Ga., July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research & Experimentation (CAARE), a non-profit advocacy group, has issued a formal letter to the University of Georgia (UGA), urging the institution to establish a concrete plan to phase out animal experiments.
The letter, addressed to key university leaders, is particularly compelling in light of UGA's lengthy history of inadequate animal care. CAARE's letter details multiple documented shortcomings and a persistent pattern of neglect for animals, which amplifies the urgency for reform.
As revealed via public documents obtained by CAARE, UGA has faced ongoing scrutiny for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, accruing 28 infractions since 2014—including 10 deemed "critical" by the U.S Department of Agriculture. (USDA).
In January 2024, UGA was fined $12,000 by USDA for multiple, serious breaches. Notable incidents include staff negligence leading to animal injuries and deaths caused by improper animal care procedures. Many violations resulted from deficient care and oversight, with several issues only identified by external federal inspectors rather than UGA's own staff.
A USDA inspection report from July 2024 noted multiple violations involving negligent care of macaques resulting in unwanted contact between animals due to personnel error. These encounters resulted in bites, finger amputations and wounds requiring surgical repair.
This same inspection revealed a failure in the automated lighting system that subjected macaques to 24 hours of light, without periods of darkness to maintain a normal light cycle. This error had been occurring for seven months without staff realizing it.
A significant number of UGA's violations stem from a glaring lack of acceptable veterinary and animal care practices, including (but not limited to) two rabbits who died from incorrect catheter placement, the death of a ferret from poor anesthesia techniques, one dog who suffered burns as a result of experimental error, and two hamsters who died from an inappropriate blood collection procedure that was not approved by the institutional animal care committee.
"These incidents clearly demonstrate a continued pattern of lack of care for animals used in biomedical research over several years, something that should concern an institute of higher learning such as UGA," said CAARE's president, Barbara Stagno, RN.
CAARE's appeal to reduce animals at UGA comes at a time when the two leading U.S. biomedical agencies, the FDA and NIH – have made recent announcements revealing plans to phase out animal research for scientific and ethical reasons.
Scientists have been aware for years that animal experiments fail over 90% of the time to translate to human cures and safe drugs. And now key U.S. regulatory agencies have acknowledged that medical advances will benefit from phasing out animal experiments.
"We can no longer justify the kind of suffering imposed by animal experimentation, said Stagno. "It is imperative that UGA take seriously the need to vastly reduce animals by developing a clear plan to replace animals in its research. By shifting to superior, nonanimal approaches, UGA will avoid animal suffering while safeguarding its academic reputation and producing superior science."
Media Contact
Barbara Stagno, Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research & Experimentation, 1 19148390857, [email protected], https://www.caareusa.org/
SOURCE Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research & Experimentation
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