Animal rights’ group questions London hospital that says dogs used in medical research will be put up for adoption

A hospital in London, Ont. that used dogs in controversial medical research says that six of them are now with a “partner organization” for potential adoption, but an animal rights’ organization is questioning their secrecy.

Roy Butler, the president and CEO at St. Joseph’s Health Care where dogs were used at Lawson Research Institute in invasive heart research for many years, said that the majority of the dogs transferred to Western University’s Animal Care Committee (ACC) on Aug. 11 are now with an organization for socialization and training.

“After careful review and consideration, the ACC has arranged to transfer all eight of the dogs to a trusted and fully accredited organization so they can start the path towards adoption,” a message from Butler read.

He added that the dogs will stay together for the time being and that the organization will remain anonymous “to protect the wellbeing of the dogs and to increase the willingness of people to adopt them.”

Animal Justice, a national animal law non-profit, posted on its social media that “the hospital is hiding where they went, how they’re doing and who is caring for them.”

The news first broke in August by the University of Toronto’s Investigative Journalism Bureau, and prompted Ontario Premier Doug Ford to speak out on the issue, saying that he was “deeply disturbed.”

Ford announced in late August that the Conservative government would put forth legislation to ban medical research testing in Ontario on cats and dogs.

READ MORE: Ontario to ban research testing on dogs and cats, premier says

Butler also said that the unnamed organization has experience with “this breed of dog and with animals coming from a research program” and that they have an adoption rate that is higher than 90 per cent.

The breed of dog was not stated in the letter addressed to the community, but reports — including leaked and published photos — indicate that many were hound dogs or hound-mixes, who are often used in medical research.

The two remaining dogs will be transferred to the same partner organization shortly, the hospital statement said.

Its message ended by saying that further updates on the animals’ progress will be shared when they become available.