Animal testing: US closes 'kitten slaughterhouse' after outcry
The USDA has used kittens for its research into toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by parasites
The US Department of Agriculture says it will stop killing cats in a research programme, following strong public criticism.The animals were fed infected meat, and the parasite's eggs harvested for use in other experiments.Veterinary groups say that the disease is treatable and the cats should have been adopted.More than 3,000 kittens have been put down since the programme was launched in 1982, campaigners the White Coat Waste Project say, with the programme costing more than $22m .
In March, bipartisan legislation, known as the Kitten Act, was introduced in Congress to end the practice, describing it as"taxpayer-funded kitten slaughter". In a statement, the USDA said that"toxoplasmosis research has been redirected and the use of cats... has been discontinued and will not be reinstated".
One of the key figures behind the bill, Democrat Representative Jimmy Panetta, said the announcement showed what was possible in politics.
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