Animal rights group files complaint against Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. – An Ohio-based animal rights group has filed a complaint against Oregon State University with the U.S. Department of Agriculture over seven animal deaths.

The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports Stop Animal Exploitation Now! (SAEN) filed the complaint in late March contending the university violated the federal Animal Welfare Act in the deaths of two cows, four lambs and one ewe used in teaching or research between February 2017 and September 2018.

University officials dispute the claims, saying the university takes good care of its animals and has done nothing wrong.

In the complaint SAEN contends university employees failed to properly care for a dairy cow with mastitis, failed to prevent the death of another cow that choked in a headlock at the dairy barn, failed to properly protect four lambs that were killed by predators and failed to provide adequate medical care to a ewe that died following surgery.

OSU Vice President Steve Clark says the university is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and says the deaths represent unforeseen impacts to a tiny fraction of the more than 12,000 animals Oregon State keeps for research and teaching purposes.