PETA AU Global Issue 4 2020

PETAUndercover Exposé: Mice Tortured at Cleveland Clinic Other species at the Cleveland Clinic also suffered. Social pigs were kept all alone in barren pens. Aworker said that some were used as “practice for new doctors,” while others were subjected to experimental rectal surgery. I SAVED! Driven frantic by extreme overcrowding, mice trample their babies.

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T hey may not have cut off mice’s tails with a carving knife, but experimenters at the Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest government-funded research institutes in the US, did just about everything else to animals imprisoned in shoebox-like plastic cages. Skulls Cut Open, Spines Exposed A PETA investigator learned that experimenters cut open mice’s skulls – with minimal pain relief – and

Siri

suctioned out portions of their brains. They glued a glass pane over the gaping wound to create a “window.” They injected some mice with a chemical that causes a neurological disorder, leaving many paralyzed and only able to drag themselves to their food. Experimenters then cut into the animals’ backs and separated muscles from vertebrae to take images of their spinal cords. What They Did to Daisy and the Others Experimenters deliberately bred mice to have pelvic organ prolapse, causing the uterus, bladder, or rectal tissue to bulge outside the body, and then bred them, too. PETA’s investigator named one of these mice Daisy. She had a painful rectal prolapse, forcing her to drag the protruding tissue through her bedding. Asked about giving her something to make her more comfortable, the experimenter’s aide said no, adding that “if they just linger,” mice are usually gassed at 1 year of age because “their breeding goes down.” That was ultimately Daisy’s fate – but only after the investigator observed her suffering for 10 weeks. Genetically manipulated mice used in a kidney experiment developed massive growths and sores. One scratched incessantly at a growth that covered nearly half her face and drove her crazy. When told

that these mice were in pain, the experimenter accused the workers of wanting to “kill” the animals “just because they’re ugly.” Not Even a Peaceful End Driven frantic by extreme crowding, parent mice trampled their own newborns to death or even cannibalized them. One technician called such deaths “acceptable-ish.” Mice were also left in buckets without food or water – or in a cage bound for the garbage. One gasped for breath for more than an hour before finally being euthanized. Even though more than 90% of studies on animals fail to lead to therapies that help humans, experimenters torture and kill thousands of animals at the Cleveland Clinic every year. It received $100 million in public funding through the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2019 alone – and squandered nearly half of it on animal experiments. Deadly Sales Demos on Dogs Axed None of this suffering, neglect, and death is “acceptable-ish.” PETA has held the Cleveland Clinic to account before. In 2007, the group revealed that an unauthorized and fatal brain surgery had been

Sarah

Peggy, Siri, and Sarah are three engaging rat sisters rescued from the Cleveland Clinic by PETA’s investigator. In their new home, they enjoy snuggling, eating fresh fruit and veggies, and building nests in soft bedding, receiving care from a guardian who appreciates their unique personalities. A video of the rat pack exploring their new digs is at PETA.org/Rats . THE NEW RAT PACK! Peggy

performed on a dog for a sales demonstration, and the clinic ended this practice. Now, PETA is demanding far more fundamental change and has filed a formal complaint with NIH. Take Action Now US readers, please go to PETA.org/ClevelandClinic to help end funding for the Cleveland Clinic’s animal experiments.

Experimenters cut holes in mice’s heads to observe their brains.

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8 NOT NICE TO MICE