It is not clear whether the NIH has the legislative authority to ban MAb production in vivo . There is no reason to believe that the lives of millions of animals used in ascites will fundamentally change or improve based upon the current responses from NIH and USDA and their actions in the past. Opponents of the ascites method are encouraged, however, by the lengthy and thorough NIH response. This is the strongest case for an alternative I ve ever heard, says McArdle. The NIH has never gone to this level of detail for an animal welfare group.
Science is on our side.
According to the September 25 Federal Register , only those people and organizations holding USDA licenses, and therefore subject to the AWA, must comply with the tethering ban. It was not intended to alter the tethering practices of private, hunting, security, and sports dog owners and trainers. According to Stephen Smith, Staff Animal Health Technician at the USDA, the clarification was made to appease dog mushers, or sled-dog owners, who were offended by the original statement, and concerned that they would be subject to the prohibition. Some animal control officers were also unsure whether pet owners would be permitted to tether dogs in their back-yards. Michael V. Dunn, USDA s assistant secretary for marketing and regulatory programs said, We recognize that there are responsible owners and trainers who use tethers intermittently, exercise their dogs regularly, and keep close watch on their animals to ensure their continued good health In these cases, tethering dogs can be not only a humane practice, but an appropriate one.