I have received several e-mails regarding and amendment to WI statute 174.13 that will give animal control facilities a new option to give dogs to scientific institutions for medical testing. This is not true, governor Walkers bill does not change the current law regarding this issue.

According to the Wisconsin Humane Society Wisconsin statutes already allow animal control facilities to release dogs for testing. Section 174.13 of the Wisconsin statutes was first passed in 1971 and it currently states:

Any officer or pound which has custody of an unclaimed dog may release the dog to the University of Wisconsin System, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., or to any other educational institution of higher learning chartered under the laws of the state and accredited to the University of Wisconsin System, upon requisition by the institution.

The current budget bill would make only one change to this existing statue: that is to refer separately to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and no just to the University of Wisconsin System. This bill will separate the University of Wisconsin -Madison from the rest of the University of Wisconsin System. The budget bill has many proposed amendments of existing statutes that currently refer to only the University of Wisconsin System, to make them consistent with this administrative change.

So, animal control facilities in Wisconsin have had the option to give dogs for research for many decades, and this new budget bill does not expand this law.

I have worked at a few facilities that did animal control and we never gave any animals to research and I have never heard of any other animal control facility doing this. The Wisconsin Humane Society stated that they too have not and do not release dogs to testing institutions and they are also not aware of any Wisconsin animal control facilities who do.

So, for all you animal lovers and rescuers this statute has been in the books for a very long time, and animal control facilities in Wisconsin have chose not to use it. Animals have the same chance at adoption that they had before this amendment.

To read the current statute go to: http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&d=stats&jd=174.13

refrences:

WI Humane Society

WI State Statutes