Marshall Farm AWA violations from the report "DYING to LEARN"
Please read and share the following passage of the report "DYING to LEARN" by AAVS (American Anti-Vivisection Society) regarding Marshall Farm Animal Welfare Act violations.
Join the BOYCOTT of Marshall Pet, division of Marshall Farm
Marshall Farms Group Ltd. is a USDA-licensed Class A animal dealer that breeds animals for sale, including beagles, ferrets, minipigs, and mongrels/hounds for research, testing, and teaching purposes. It also sells blood, plasma, serum, and tissue derived from animals on site and will perform medical diagnostic procedures (e.g., blood work, echocardiograms, eye exams) on animals before shipping them305.
Investigators found numerous violations, including accumulation of urine in cages, a semi-conscious and shaking newborn puppy, and a dehydrated puppy who had to be euthanized.
Sold 456,227 animals from 2005-2007, earning an undisclosed amount over $200,000.Animalearn found that, between 2005-2007, Colorado State University, Fort Collins306, University of Cincinnati307, University of Texas Southwest Medical Center (Dallas)308, University of Washington (Seattle)309, and University of Wisconsin, Madison310purchased live mixed breed dogs for use in education from Marshall Farms. Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine311 also bought live beagles from Marshall Farms312.
The USDA inspection reports we obtained for 2005-2007 indicate that Marshall Farms had several violations of the AWA. In March 2005, Marshall Farms was found to have unsanitary animal cages, including over-accumulation of dog hair and urine around dogs in cages, strong smell of ammonia (caused by urine) in a building housing dogs, and excessive amounts of urine stains and fecal accumulation under rabbits’ cages313.
In February 2006, a USDA inspector found numerous AWA violations resulting from inadequate veterinary care and daily health monitoring that are cause for serious concern, including: a dead puppy kept in a refrigerator used to store drugs; and several dogs with obvious injuries and medical conditions (some of whom had blood in or around their cages), including a semi-conscious and shaking newborn puppy and a dehydrated puppy who had to be euthanized314. The inspector also found dogs kept daily in dark cages; damaged and dirty cages that posed a risk of injury to the dogs; dogs grouped with incompatible dogs (exposing them to injury); and dead and decomposing wild mice in several buildings.
In March 2006, the Inspector found that puppies were being euthanized and necropsied in a medical building in front of hospitalized puppies, potentially causing them distress315. During an inspection in September 2006, an excessive fly infestation in some buildings, including the treatment/necropsy area, was also noted316. In 2007, three young dogs were found with their bodies and their cages covered in blood after having their nails trimmed317. Three other dogs were found with their cage door left open, and loose ferrets were observed both inside and outside buildings.
Despite the inhumane treatment of animals represented by these numerous, serious AWA violations, between 2005-2007 Marshall Farms Group Ltd. sold 456,227 animals, grossing over $600,000318.
