Animal Experimentation in CamCo?

A local animal shelter is accused of using strays as guinea pigs for medical experiments.

The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) claims the experiments are happening in Camden County.

According to the SPCA, on two separate occasions dogs and cats were taken to a veterinary conference at the Clarion Hotel in Cherry Hill, N.J. The SPCA says that the animals were sedated, shaved and subjected to unnecessary medical procedures. The organization alleges that seven of those animals were euthanized after the experiments.

The Camden County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center was paid $1,000 each time for the use of their animals, the SPCA's representative said.

However, representatives of the animal shelter told NBC 10 that the allegations are completely without merit.

The animal shelter said that it is true that the animals were brought to the veterinary conferences to demonstrate ultrasound equipment for a California company. However, they say, no animals died as a result of the ultrasound and ultrasound is a safe, non-invasive diagnostic tool used all the time at premiere veterinary hospitals.

The animal shelter said that the animals were awake at all times during the procedures and that the use of ultrasound found problems in at least two of the animals, for example kidney stones in a cat.

Officials said that the shelter director, the trustee for the humane society and a representative from the California company are all receiving animal cruelty summonses, which carry a $250 fine.

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