Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently pledged to legislate an end to medical testing on dogs and cats, saying that he would “start hunting down” scientists who do research with cats and dogs. This has sparked concerns among researchers in the province. Ford’s comments came after a University of Toronto investigation revealed dogs were used in cardiac studies at St Joseph’s Health Care London and the Lawson Research Institute. Carleton University Professor Andy Adler told CBC that though he is involved in research that he considers “very non-invasive,” he found the premier’s comments “enormously scary” and chose to close his project lab. Arthur Brown, Chair of Western University’s Animal Care Committee, also spoke to CBC noting that institutional oversight bodies already ensure humane practices. Brown warned that political directives could erode trust in science.
