A Call For An End to Pound Seizure Laws
Pound seizure is the sale or release of cats and dogs from a pound or shelter to a research, testing or educational facility.
Pound seizure laws typically require shelters or pounds to release animals to testing, research or educational facilities on demand.
These laws were first passed in the 1940s. Most of these laws were promoted by the National Society for Medical Research, which eventually evolved into the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR). Under these laws animals that are not claimed by an owner within a period of days must be turned over to facilities that use animals for testing, research or education. These animals who at one time lived in a home are now locked in cages and tortured in the name of medical science or education. Animals subjected to tests or experiments suffer terribly and die agonizing deaths.
Thirteen states have banned pound seizure: Connecticut, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-332a; Delaware, 3 Del. C. § 8001; Hawaii, HRS § 143-18; Maine, 17 M.R.S. §1025; Maryland, Md. Ann. Code art. 27, § 67B; Massachusetts, Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 140, § 151, 174D; New Hampshire, RSA 437:22; New Jersey, N.J. Stat. § 4:19-15.16; New York, NY CLS Agr & M § 374; Pennsylvania, 3 P.S. § 459-302; Rhode Island, R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-12; Vermont, 13 V.S.A. § 352; and West Virginia, W. Va. Code § 19-20-23.
New York, Maryland, and West Virginia prohibit release of cats and dogs to testing and research facilities while the other ten states ban the release of all animals to such places.
There is still no federal law, though, concerning pound seizures
Several states and Washington, D.C. continue to allow the release of animals to testing, research and educational facilities. Arizona, A.R.S. § 11-1013; California, Cal Civ Code § 1834.5-1834.7; Colorado, C.R.S. 35-42.5-101; Iowa, Code §145B.2-.6; Michigan, MCLS § 287.389 (Though Jackson County, Michigan has banned pound seizure.) Ohio, ORC Ann. 955.16; South Dakota, § 40-1-34, § 34-14-8; Tennessee, § 44-17-112, Virginia, §§ 3.1-796.96 96.1, 96.105; Wisconsin, § 174.13.
The remaining states leave the decision about whether to allow pound seizure to the counties and municipalities. And in the past selling animals to testing or research facilities has been a way for some local shelters or pounds to raise money.
There are 3 states that still have pound seizure laws: Minnesota, § 35.71, Utah § 26-26-3, and Oklahoma. 4 Okl. St. §§ 394, 501.
Please if your state is releasing animals to research labs or to “class B” dealers that sell animals to research labs, write your legislators and get your laws changed.
Pound seizure is illegal in Denmark, England, the Netherlands, and Sweden.In the United States, there is no federal law regarding pound seizure..
http://www. animallawcoalition. com/pound-seizure/article/47
Written by Lauran Allen with The Animal Law Coalition
2 Responses
2009 Jul 12
Testing & experimental produres done to any animal must stop! Vivisection is a horriblly traumatic ordeal for any animal used for testing/experiments. Many animals are kept alive without sedation or pain medication while procedures are done to them. Many are starved or deprived of food/water/medicines needed for survuval during this period. These procedures are done repeatedly to the same animal…dog, cat, rabbit, monkey, rats, etc.. The animal ususally dies a horrfically painful death.
This is a good film that explains it amongst other things that are done to animals:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4093730216074063220&hl=en
2010 Sep 23
I cannot believe that horrific animal testing still goes on in our so-called civilized country. This is so barbaric, and there are much better alternatives with our advanced technology. I’ve read many times that animal research actually HINDERS our advances in science because animals are not made up the same way people are. And for cosmetic companies to continue testing on animals is completely immoral and unethcial. They do this all in the name of potential lawsuits! We have enough cosmetics; we don’t need any new or improved items. I don’t understand while these animal researchers can’t just put themselves in the animals’ position and realize (and care) that animals feel physical pain, as well as fear, confusion, loneliness, sense of abandonment—just like humans do. And for states to mandate that dogs and cats who aren’t adopted from shelters be sold for animal research is difficult for me to comprehend. It is WRONG!!!