Utah dog's death raises animal testing concerns

SALT LAKE CITY — The death of a stray dog whose heart was removed by University of Utah researchers conducting cardiology tests has spurred a renewed call from animal rights groups to stop the practice of selling some shelter animals for research nationwide.

Thirty-six states, including Utah, allow stray dogs and cats to be sold to research facilities if they are scheduled for euthanasia at animal shelters.

But animal activists say the shelters should be safe havens, and fear that if the practice continues, people may stop bringing in their unwanted pets.

"We do a lot of work in communities to garner trust in their shelters," Kathleen Conlee, of the Humane Society of the United States, said Monday. "If, for whatever reason, people are not able to take care of their cat or dog anymore, we don't want people to be fearful of taking their animals to a shelter."

The Humane Society says just 14 states, including California, Maine, Maryland and Hawaii, prohibit the sale of strays for research.

Rose Bentley, board president at Salt Lake City's Utah Animal Adoption Center, a no-kill facility, said she was shocked to learn that Sunny, a shy female pit bull once housed there, had been euthanized by the University of Utah last June.

She said the dog had a microchip that showed it was owned by the center, even though the facility had already adopted out the dog to a new owner. Somehow, the animal later ended up a stray again at the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter and was slated to be euthanized, but was instead sold to the university for lab tests. The dog then had her heart removed and was put down.

Bentley and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a complaint with the state Health Department, claiming the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter never contacted the Utah Animal Adoption Center — as required under state law — before selling the dog to the school for $50.

"Think about it, what if this was your dog or cat ... if this happened to you. What would you do?" Bentley said. "I just want ensure that this never happens again."

The Utah Department of Health is now investigating the complaint but said Monday the agency likely wouldn't sanction the university and had no authority over the shelter.

"State laws leave it up to the shelter to contact the owner and it is not the responsibility of the university," said health department spokesman Tom Hudacho. "We've contacted the shelter, but they are not under our jurisdiction and required to answer to us."