Wisconsin Wants Animal Researchers Exempt from Cruelty Laws.

The Wisconsin legislature is pushing a measure that would allow people who experiment on animals to be exempt from state animal cruelty laws.

Representatives are set to vote on a controversial budget proposal which contains an item that will pave the way for animal researchers to inflict more cruelty and pain. The measure would exempt animal researchers at UW Madison from state animal cruelty laws so long as they are practicing “bona fide scientific research.” If passed, researchers will be able to mistreat animals without fear of violating ANY of the current state animal cruelty laws.

The measure would allow researchers to ignore Wisconsin’s Chapter 951 which protects animals from mistreatment, starvation, negligence, and even poisoning. Without Chapter 951, researchers can inflict unlimited pain and suffering with their experiments but also deny animals water, food, and proper shelter.

Theoretically, even if the provision passes, researchers in Wisconsin could still be charged with animal cruelty under the federal Animal Welfare Act. The problem here is that bringing a federal case is much harder than bringing a state case. Federal prosecutors and regulating bodies like the USDA are much more difficult to motivate into action. The Wisconsin provision would remove any possibility of a state or city prosecutor pursuing legal criminal against even the most inhumane researcher.

No matter what your philosophy about animal testing, most people agree that no one should be exempt from basic animal cruelty laws. Even scientific researchers don’t deserve a free pass to hurt animals however they wish. Let’s hope Wisconsin lawmakers actually read the bill and throw this measure out.

Push Wisconsin representatives to act responsibly to preserve existing state animal cruelty laws by writing them today.