Practice of force-feeding dogs chemicals has ended, according to USHS

Pesticide testing being done on dogs has ended following an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States.

According to a news release from the Humane Society of the United States:

"Testing on 36 beagles at a Michigan animal testing lab has ended. Following the release of an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States last week, Dow AgroSciences (Corteva AgriScience) today announced that it has ended a one-year pesticide test on the dogs at Charles River Laboratories in Michigan."

The investigation took place at the Charles River Laboratories in Mattawan, MI, where the Human Society said it documented nearly two dozen short-term and long-term experiments that involved tests on dogs by a number of companies, including Corteva Agriscience, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont.

Its investigator was undercover nearly 100 days, their press release said.

The Humane Society said its investigator saw dogs killed at the end of studies and documented others suffering for months, including 36 beagles who were being force-fed a fungicide for Corteva Agriscience to test its toxicity. Those that survive the study will be killed when it's over.

The organization said Dow Chemical has previously acknowledged that studies of this type aren't necessary.

The release went on to say:

"We applaud Corteva for making the right decision by ending the test and urge them to work with us to get the dogs out of the laboratory and to our shelter and rescue partners so that they can be adopted into loving homes. The company has been a valuable partner to us in the past on important measures to decrease animal testing and we hope that we can work with them on a happy ending for these dogs."

In addition to toxicity tests for pesticides, dogs are also used to test drugs, dental implants and other products.

Corteva Agriscience said it cares about the welfare of animals and said at the time the investigation was revealed:

"Consistent with industry practice, we conduct animal testing when such testing is required by regulatory authorities," the company said. "Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, is committed to animal welfare ..."

"Animal testing is not something Dow undertakes lightly, but neither is it something the Company can discontinue when it is required by regulatory authorities," the company said in a statement. "Dow keeps its use of animal testing to an absolute minimum. Dow is committed to finding alternatives to animal testing …"

Following the news Monday that the testing had ended the HSUS said:

"This is a huge win for our Animal Research Issues campaign and for our investigations team, which worked hard to expose the cruelty dogs are subjected to in animal testing labs, as well as for our Humane Society International team, which mediated to get a waiver from Brazil for the Corteva pesticide test."