The Oregon University of Health and Sciences has been ordered to pay $400,000 to animal rights groups after it didn’t comply with requests for public information about a peculiar experiment involving intoxicated rodents.
This study involved taking in 15 bottles of wine daily into Prairie Voles habitats and then measuring their behavioral differences. Researchers experimented with “partner preferences,” which included euthanizing and dissecting the animals.
PETA has been pushing OHSU to rethink their approach, arguing it’s time to switch from using animals to advanced testing methods that are genuinely beneficial to humans.
A lawsuit was initiated by PETA when OHSU declined to release videos and photos related to the so-called Vole Infidelity Experiments. In 2023, the Multnomah County Circuit Court ruled in favor of the Animal Rights Group.
On Monday, OHSU appealed this decision in the Oregon Court of Appeals.
In a statement released on July 22, the university defended the unusual experiment.
They noted that excessive alcohol can lead to significant health issues and complications in social relationships, like increased separation and divorce rates, and that studying these effects in their lab is challenging.
Cathy Guillermo, PETA’s Senior Vice President, criticized the university, claiming they had wasted substantial amounts trying to conceal these unethical experiments.
She mentioned that this ruling serves as a crucial reminder for OHSU and similar institutions about the importance of accountability.
Interestingly, past studies, like those in 2012, have faced scrutiny for suggesting that single mothers might raise less affectionate children based on findings from Prairie Voles.
