July 2003

Animal rights group harasses college

An animal rights group has rekindled its attack against the Palmer Chiropractic University System. In recorded telephone messages to school administration and faculty members on all three Palmer campuses the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) accused the school of torturing animals.

Palmer spokespersons deny the allegations and emphasize that the college takes extraordinary measures to care for the welfare of the animals used in chiropractic-based science research, which is necessary to improve the public's health.

According to a story published by the Associated Press, dozens of employees at the three Palmer campuses have received automated taped telephone messages from Golden Girls actress Bea Arthur, who says, "Palmer should conduct humane studies on volunteer human patients rather than torture animals." Palmer College does research on its main campus only, but the calls were sent to all three campuses.

PETA has distorted the facts, says Dr. William Meeker, vice president for research. "What PETA supporters fail to realize is that this research is not only rigorously regulated by external and internal governing bodies who ensure that the highest possible standards in animal care are followed, but that this type of research is vital for understanding how the neural and musculoskeletal systems function."

Meeker adds that there is a distinction between animal rights and animal welfare. "Our focus at Palmer is very much on providing the absolute best animal welfare for any animals used in research projects. Animal rights organizations such as PETA are concerned with animal rights, and they tend to take the extreme view that animals should be accorded the same rights as people, in that they should not be raised for food or kept as pets, but should be left in their natural, wild state."

Palmer has published a number of news releases, including a Q and A on animal research, on its Web site (www.palmer.edu). The college emphasizes that it operates its research under strict federal regulations.

One of the questions on the Web site asks: "Do the animals at Palmer experience pain?" Palmer answers: "Potential pain or discomfort is monitored at all times for the animals during a procedure. During experiments, the animals are sedated and given analgesia for possible pain. When euthanasia is necessary, it is conducted while the animal is under anesthesia."

According to the Web site, Palmer maintains about 80 rats at present. After the appropriate governmental approvals are granted, the center will house two or three cats at a time.

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