Time To Ban USDA 'Slaughter Of Kittens,' Says Senator Merkley

PORTLAND, OR – Sen. Jeff Merkley wants to stop what he calls the 'U.S. Department of Agriculture practice of killing kittens after they're used in agency testing. He introduced the Kittens In Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act or KITTEN Act.

Merkley says that the agency feeds kittens raw meat that has been infected parasites, which grows in them. The parasites are then harvested for study.

He says that instead of then treating the kittens, they are killed.

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"This is an archaic practice and horrific treatment, and we need to end it," Merkley, Democrat of Oregon, says.

"The KITTEN Act will protect these innocent animals from being needlessly euthanized in government testing, and make sure that they can be adopted by loving families instead."

Merkley says that since 1970 , the USDA's Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in Maryland has spent $65,000 each year to breed up to 100 kittens that are then fed the parasite-laden meat once they are 2-months old.

Once the kittens turn 3-months-old, their feces are collected, the parasitic eggs are harvested and used in other experiments.

And the kittens are killed. Then incinerated.

Merkley says that the Centers for Disease Control, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges all reports that the kittens could be treated and then adopted as pets.

The KITTEN Act would require the Agriculture Secretary stops all experiments that unnecessarily hurts kitten and cats.

A similar bill has been introduced in the House with 62 sponsors.

File photo via D'Ann White/Patch.