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Baboons to move to new home Plans for animals’ transition curently still in early stages ANNA MAYER News Reporter @AnnaMay136
OU Health Sciences Center is now working to form a plan of action for moving its baboons from the closing breeding facility in El Reno to new institutions and centers across the nation. The baboon program first began in 1999 and continued to run without interference until Sep. 8 when OU President David Boren
announced the program will be “winding down” after many complaints against the facility’s animal treatment. Now the university must decide what to do with the baboons at the facility. “I hope they have a good fate,” said Kathleen Conlee, vice president of Animal Research Issues for The Humane S o ciety of the United States. “They deserve a peaceful life and sanctuary.” OUHSC is working closely with the National Institute of Health, researchers and stakeholders to transition the animals to different facilities, said James Tomasek, a
“The Humane Society of the United States applauds the decision announced to phase out its role as a primate research institution.” HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
professor in the OU College of Medicine and the baboon program spokesman. Tomasek said no biomedical research was conducted on the baboons at the Fort Reno Science Park, and only observational behavioral studies designed to “improve the welfare of the colony take place.” The baboons are experimented on
elsewhere. Although plans of moving the colony are still in an early stage of development, the National Institute of Health (NIH) did give an idea of what the physical movement of baboons will be like. “There are ver y safe methods to move nonhuman primates within the U.S., most often by special
trucks that are outfitted to move this type of animal,” according to a statement from the NIH Division of Comparative Medicine. “Nonhuman primates can be moved very safely and without detrimental effects to their health by the specialists who do this.” NIH also reassured that the primates are most often moved as family groups; however, the location of where the baboons will end up is still in question. “There are, potentially, other domestic institutions to which the baboons can be sent,” according to the statement.
The Humane Society of the United States added its input in regards to what should happen with the baboons. “The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) applauds the decision announced to phase out its role as a primate research institution,” HSUS said in a statement. “We urge the university to work with accredited sanctuaries to retire the baboons, who have been forced to endure so much.” In the university’s statement made last week, SEE BABOON PAGE 2
SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY
Four-week-old puppies stand in a kennel in the Norman Animal Welfare Center on Monday. The puppies, along with over 60 other dogs, were confiscated from a Norman residence on Friday.
WAITING FOR CARE NORMAN ANIMAL WELFARE CENTER
Dozens of dogs seized from Norman residence
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:45 am
BRIANNA SIMS
Address: 3428 Jenkins Norman, OK 73062 Phone: (405) 292-9736 Source: http://www. normanok.gov/ content/animalwelfare
News Reporter @briannana18
Sixty-five dogs that were confiscated from a Norman residence Sept. 11 in response to an anonymous tip sent to Norman Police Department are still in need of rescue, according to an NPD press release. The NPD responded to a complaint on the 11th about excessive barking at a residence in southeastern Norman, according to the release. After NPD knocked on the door and received no response, they acquired
a search warrant for the premises. When they executed the search warrant, officers seized 65 dogs from the residence, 22 of which were puppies ranging from about two days old to about one week old. Additionally, two of the dogs were pregnant at the time of confiscation and could have delivered their litters at any time, the release says. The City Ordinances of Norman rules that no person can harbor or keep more than two dogs or three cats of six months of age on any lot, premises or in any structure without a commercial, rescue or private kennel license. The condition of the puppies is still being evaluated,
but it is believed that all the puppies are adoptable, public safety information officer Sarah Jensen said. The animals are currently eligible to be rescued, but are not currently up for adoption, according to a Norman Animal Welfare Center employee who wished to remain unidentified. Interested parties may contact the shelter at 405292-9736 or visit the shelter, located at 3428 Jenkins Ave. The Norman Police Department could not be reached for comment Monday. Paris Burris contributed to this report. Brianna Sims Brianna.M.Sims-1@ou.edu
SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY
One of 65 dogs confiscated from a Norman residence on Sept. 11 sits in the Norman Animal Welfare Center on Monday. The shelter is hoping that rescue organizations will be able to take the dogs from the shelter to better accommodate them.