Thread by @LizHIVHep

#Beaglegate is still getting traction & I've seen a lot of exaggeration & misinformation. I've adopted two former research beagles & learned a fair bit about the issue, so thought I'd share. 1/ @WhiteCoatWaste @beaglefreedom @ggreenwald @joerogan #BeaglesLivesMatter

Beagle testing is a widespread practice. There's likely a university, consumer product company or pharma company doing it in your state. Some research is funded by NIH (Fauci's agency), but academia & industry fund it too. 2/

Beagles were probably originally chosen because they're small, easy to care for, good natured & will tolerate anything for food. They've become the standard & companies (like Charles River Labs in MA) breed them for research. 3/

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Animal research isn't illegal in U.S. -- in fact, FDA requires it for drug & vaccine research. There are regulations about humane treatment. Most medications we use were tested on animals. Some medical research is valuable, but it's not all necessary to protect human health. 4/

Dogs are commonly used to test consumer products like makeup & skin care products. My beagle Zoe had shaved patches when I got her & was likely used for this type of research. You can help by buying #CrueltyFree 5/

Drug toxicology research is also common. My beagle Beaker was used for veterinary research. His pre-adoption records show he received massive doses of (wait for it!) ivermectin -- we suspect they were testing a maximum tolerated dose (it's used for heartworm prevention). 6/

The beagles typically have their vocal cords pinched off (not major surgery & doesn't seem to impair their quality of life). Aside from the testing itself, the worst aspect is their lack of socialization (Beaker was in a lab for 5 years & is still skittish around other dogs). 7/

It's been typical practice to routinely euthanize beagles when researchers are done with them. CA has a law requiring that healthy dogs be offered for adoption as pets. Demanding your state do the same is an easy form of activism. 8/ @beaglefreedom

Former research beagles make great pets! But they can be a challenge (not housebroken, not used to being outside, may be shy around humans or other dogs). A beagle rescue group in your state may have an arrangement with universities or labs to take "retiring" research dogs. /end

*Clarification: I don't know the current status of FDA regulations regarding animal testing of drugs & vaccines. There has been pressure to reduce it & alternatives to animal testing are getting better.

*Glad to see @RepBrendanBoyle & @NancyMace have introduced a national bill -- the Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments and Research (AFTER) Act -- to require adoption of dogs & cats no longer needed for research in federal labs.

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@RepBrendanBoyle @NancyMace @threadreaderapp unroll please

Thank you, @SophNaama & @medpagetoday for doing an actual piece of journalism on #BeagleGate.

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