UW Pig Experiment Hurt by 'Anesthesia Problem'

In his response, Chancellor Wiley maintains that there is no problem with retaining Wayne McDaniel as a consultant on the pig-shocking team because unlike Stratbucker, he is "not currently a paid consultant for Taser International." McDaniel's paid presence will supposedly "help ensure that Dr. Webster's current study does not simply duplicate other studies." In our response to the Chancellor, we pointed out that the Animal Welfare Act stipulates that it is the principal investigator—that is, Webster—who is charged with that responsibility. The chancellor's comment only confirms our contention that Webster's experiments are remarkably similar to earlier ones, and it's even more outrageous that the earlier ones were conducted by McDaniel himself.

McDaniel's Taser projects have brought Taser International money into the University of Missouri, where he teaches electrical engineering. He has a long and intimate relationship with the company, regardless of whether he appears on Taser International's roster as an employee or a consultant. He is as convinced of the Taser's safety as Stratbucker and Webster are.

UW-Madison, You Have (Another) Problem

In an e-mail message to John Webster, his colleague refers to having to "sort out the anesthesia problem" before they undertake another experiment. This must be unsettling to Eric Sandgren, whose review committee, he said, was "won over" by the fact that the pigs were anesthetized. This will be Sandgren's second big disappointment regarding this experiment, as he had also believed that one of its strengths was that it was an independent study.

These large animals, unaccustomed to being confined to a laboratory as they await their demise, are distressed and fearful before they are put under anesthesia. This certainly constitutes cruelty to those who know that pigs are intelligent, sensitive, social animals.

You Can Help

Write to Eric Sandgren, the chair of the All Campus Animal Care and Use Committee, and politely tell him that shocking pigs and killing them for testing weapons is cruel:

Eric Sandgren, Associate Professor
3450 Veterinary Medicine Bldg.
2015 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
sandgren@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu

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