For those of you who have followed the Marmoset research project at UMass, I would like all citizens to know that on Sept. 9 there was public hearing in the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight to hear testimony on bill S2117: An act providing that no state funds will be allocated to any agency, school, university, etc. that does research on animals. They are still accepting written testimony via e-mail or by mail until the bill is acted upon. All written testimony may be made public.
An additional clause requires that any animals that are currently being used for research purposes will be rehomed either by adoption or sanctuaries that can care for them. They will not be euthanized. If homes can not be found for them they will be cared for by the institutions that have them until their natural death (no research on them). They will be allowed adequate space and freedom and if they are social animals they will be given the opportunity for social contact with their own kind. Rats and mice are not exempt. Birds, reptiles and amphibians are also included.
Testimony may be mailed to: Senate Chair: Nick Collins, Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, Attn: Riley Nichols, 24 Beacon St., Rm 511-A Boston, Ma. 02133.
The e-mail is as follows: riley.nichols@masenate.gov. She will forward the testimony to the Senate Chair, Sen. Nick Collins.
Jean Conway
Turners Falls