I am a student at Laurentian University
enrolled as an undergraduate in the behavioural neuroscience
program. I am not part of the lawsuit group, as I am not
working on my thesis this year, but the recent events regarding
the neuroscience program may affect me and many other students
in our academic careers. I would like to raise greater public
awareness regarding the controversy going on between the
animal-care committees and the
students/professors involved in neuroscience
research. The students' research and future careers are being
jeopardized without justification.
The research for this program had been going
on for roughly 20 years without any problems. Now, all of a
sudden everything has come to a halt, and
ridiculous demands are being made by these
animal committees. The research protocols are now being revised
for the 11th time.
The rules being enforced by these animal
committees are not promoting security and health of the
animals. When a researcher recognizes that an animal is ill,
they make all attempts to nurse it back to health. These
committees, however, insist that the animal be put down if the
animal displays any signs of pain. The ironic twist to this is
that since the students have been locked out and can no longer
tend to their animals, these animal are dying.
If matters continue to worsen, and nothing
gets resolved in the researchers' favour, then I will have
absolutely no problem encouraging new students to attend
another university.
Chantal Abdel-Nour
Sudbury