By Bobby Tanzilo Managing Editor E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Bobby Tanzilo

Published Feb. 20, 2007 at 5:05 a.m.

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Posted by littledog on Feb. 27, 2007 at 2:14 p.m. (report)

While I do sympathize with the previous writer whose boyfriend benefitted from animal research to develop a medication for MS, many animal studies are unethical and unnecessary. The MCW is one of the few teaching hospitals in the country who continue to use dogs in labs so it sounds like there are other alternatives. The use of animals for research should be rare and only when all other options have been explored.

Posted by buffyanne02 on Feb. 27, 2007 at 1:34 p.m. (report)

No matter how many petitions, complaints, ect. the medical college receives, they are still planning on using the dogs for their testing. Consider this: My boyfriend, love of my life, has Multiple Schleorosis. He is on Avonex as no other medications gave him any results in his fight with this dibilitating disease. Until some other medication comes through that is more suitable for his condition, he will remain on Avonex. Avonex is manufactured by extracting the drug from Chinese hamster ovary cells. Without animal testing, without any of it... Avonex wouldn't be Avonex.

Posted by wischumane on Feb. 23, 2007 at 4:03 p.m. (report)

In this article about the dog lab conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Richard Katschke commented that they wished the Wisconsin Humane Society would find homes for 1,700 dogs who are not accepted at the shelter. This inflammatory statement is misleading and Katschke did not explain the context of his statement, nor from where he derived this figure. It is offensive to WHS staff, volunteers and community, all of whom devote themselves to the mission of saving the lives of animals. Just last year, WHS found homes for more than 8,600 abandoned animals, more than any group in Wisconsin and never did we refuse to provide services to any animal that we thought could be saved. We are deeply committed to providing every animal the opportunity to find love and quality care with a responsible guardian. We implore the Medical College of Wisconsin to act with compassion and permit us to care for the 60 dogs they plan to kill beginning on Monday, February 26th. George Dalton Vice President Wisconsin Humane Society Board of Directors

Posted by Lisa Nohl, Brown Deer, WI on Feb. 22, 2007 at 5:17 p.m. (report)

I am against the Medical College of Wisconsin using 60 dogs for scientific use. They try to make the point that living creatures are better learning experiences. I am a former nurse. We disected cats when I was in school. I learned nothing- after all I had a cat at home, and it bothered me to be doing it in the first place. It was hard to tell what was what in the small animal. Medical students can witness surgeries and also autopsies. Computers now are highly technical- they can get a three dimensional view. The Medical College is trying to use the dogs simply because they can.

Posted by max0127 on Feb. 20, 2007 at 12:42 p.m. (report)

Isn't it ironic that just today a story out of Colorodo states a dog is credited with saving human lives-as the dog is alive- and the hospital here wants to uselessly kill 60? We are supposed to have one of the finest hospital in the country yet we are one of a handful that still uses this technique, though it has been proven using human "models" is actually more beneficial to a training doctor than kiliing a dog to see a heart.