Thread by @LizHIVHep

As an adopter of research beagles, this makes my heart hurt. A lot of research on dogs & primates is unnecessary to protect human health. At the same time, I recognize it's being used as a right-wing talking point to attack Fauci's views about COVID.

tinyurl.com/pp5hrhfh

This kind of animal research is nothing new. If this fracas makes more people across the political spectrum aware of alternatives to animal testing, that will be a silver lining. @beaglefreedom @WhiteCoatWaste

@beaglefreedom @WhiteCoatWaste If initiatives to reduce unnecessary animal testing come from the right because they hate Fauci, that will be quite a thing. I sure hope liberals don't oppose it simply because the right is in favor.😕 @ggreenwald

https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1451572521103396872

It's like no one knew or cared that beagle research is a widespread practice in government, academic & industry research until they could use it to attack a political enemy.😟 @beaglefreedom @WhiteCoatWaste

Reducing animal research is a long-term project, but more immediately people can demand laws (like the one in CA) that require research dogs to be offered for adoption when they're done with them instead of routinely euthanized.

And I'm going to post a photo of my two adopted research beagles just because I have the opportunity.

#Beaglegate is trending. Like I said, if this is what it takes to bring attention the widespread practice of beagle testing in govt, academic & industry research, I'll take it.

Before someone accuses me of hypocrisy, I know #HIV vaccine & cure research I write about involves primates -- & it disturbs me. Not all animal research is useless or has available alternatives. But we can minimize it & treat lab animals well, including proper socialization.

Geez, the vitriol about this on Twitter. You'd think Fauci invented the idea of beagle medical research himself instead of rubber-stamping a standard practice (if anyone even bothered to highlight it in a grant application because it's so standard).

https://twitter.com/KellyScaletta/status/1452069449171972097

Snopes actually investigated this back in August, finding it accurate that this research was done to test a vaccine for a parasite carried by sand flies, but questioning the extent of Fauci's involvement.

tinyurl.com/aff4edbk

I don't know how I missed this story a couple months ago, given my interest in beagle research.

newsweek.com/anthony-fauci-…

I'll be happy if all the Twitter critics still care about beagle research when there's no connection to Fauci.😕