PULLMAN, Wash. — The Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine did not receive any citations for violations of the Animal Welfare Act as alleged in a press release issued today (Dec. 3) by the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights.
A routine USDA inspection of the college was conducted in June and noted that one signature was missing from one form in its report dated June 10, 2003. A follow-up inspection report issued by the USDA on Oct. 8, noted that the item had been corrected. Neither document was a citation as alleged by AVAR, but both were labeled “Inspection Report” and “routine inspection.”
No further action is anticipated or required by either the college or the USDA.
“We were very proud of the outcome of the inspection,” said Warwick Bayly, dean of the WSU veterinary college. “We regularly undergo unannounced inspections and work very hard to not only comply but exceed animal care and use standards in federal and state law.”
The WSU veterinary college was also recently inspected by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), a private, non-profit, accrediting agency with animal-care and use standards that are in many areas more rigorous than those required by law. The AAALAC International accreditation program evaluates organizations that use animals in research, teaching or testing. Those that exhibit excellence in animal care and use are awarded accreditation. The accreditation process includes an extensive internal review conducted by the institution. Then AAALAC evaluators review the internal reports and conduct their own comprehensive assessment, including on-site inspections.
WSU’s veterinary college has been continuously AAALAC-accredited since its first application in November 1990 and is among only 12 veterinary colleges in the nation so recognized.
