Watchdog cites USDA inspection of FVSU Veterinary Science Department

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Fort Valley State University’s Department of Veterinary Science has caught the eyes of the national watchdog group SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation Now) due to the recently received citations from the Department of Agriculture during a routine inspection.

On Feb. 7, Fort Valley State University’s Department of Veterinary Science received multiple citations from the USDA. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) hit the school with 6 citations during their annual inspection. This marks the third time within the last three years that the veterinary science department has received multiple citations during an inspection. 

According to SAEN’s recent press release, the nonprofit organization has filed an official complaint against Fort Valley State University for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. FVSU’s veterinary science program has amassed eighteen federal animal welfare violations since July of 2021 in three inspections. A few of the citations from the February inspection were repeats from previous inspections, with at least one of these violations being listed as critical.

SAEN’s press release states, “SAEN has filed a federal complaint with Dr. Robert Gibbens, Director, Animal Welfare Operations, USDA/APHIS/AC calling for the maximum penalty of $10,000 per infraction/per animal against Fort Valley State University.”

“When a facility repeatedly fails to follow federal regulations and they cause animals to suffer, they must pay the price,” SAEN’s co-founder, Michael A. Budkiesaid , A.H.T. “FVSU deserves the maximum penalty.”

The USDA’s inspection noted that the veterinary program did not consider alternatives to painful procedures, nor did they provide written narratives describing those alternatives. These alternatives are important as they identify options for replacements, reductions, or refinements that would lead to the minimization of animal pain and distress. Additionally, the program did not justify the number of animals that were being used in said procedures.

According to the inspection report, FSVU did not fully disclose how many animals were used in experiments. Additionally, the veterinary program reported fewer dogs and rabbits than those that were at the facility and failed to report the number of cows, goats, and horses that were used in teaching experiments.

The USDA cited the veterinary program in 2021 for multiple violations, which included fraudulent information on an animal’s origin, missing information from teaching protocols, dogs and rabbits with long nails, poor skin conditions for dogs, inadequate primary enclosures for dogs, and sanitation issues with excessive accumulation of feces and urine for both guinea pigs and rabbits. The inspection in 2021 came with a warning from the USDA, which threatened legal action if the violations continued. 

The school did not receive any sanitation violations during this year’s inspection. However, it was noted that the average temperature was lower than required for the guinea pig enclosures. 

The Department of Agriculture conducts annual inspections of animals used in research institutions under the 1966 Animal Welfare Act. The Federal law regulates the treatment of animals in research, teaching, testing, exhibition, transport, and by dealers.

The Leader Tribune have reached out to FVSU and have been given an official response from Fort Valley State University’s Marketing and Communications Department;

“At Fort Valley State University, our highest priority is providing humane and ethical care for all animals within our Veterinary Technology program and facility while upholding the highest standards of quality in our teaching programs. We remain committed to partnering and working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure we meet all regulations and requirements as prescribed.

We acknowledge a recent report from a USDA inspection conducted on February 7, 2023, citing several issues involving documentation of animal protocols and one related to temperature control in the facility due to a mechanical failure of the HVAC system. We accept full responsibility for these issues and have taken immediate corrective actions to address each of them. Our goal is to ensure that all animals associated with the Veterinary Technology program are accurately documented and accounted for and that all teaching protocols are properly justified and documented. We will continue to work with the USDA to ensure we meet all compliance standards.

We want to emphasize that our university strives to strictly adhere to all applicable regulations and guidelines regarding the use and care of animals in our teaching facility. It is important to note that our veterinary technology program focuses on the care of animals while providing students with relevant clinical training to pursue careers in veterinary science. We do not conduct or condone the use of laboratory experimentation on animals in this facility.”