On behalf of ten animal protection organizations in the United States, representing more than eight million members and supporters, The HSUS has requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) promptly return key documents pertaining to animal research to the agency's Electronic Freedom of Information Act (E-FOIA) website.

The HSUS's request to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman, in a letter dated May 24, 2002, came after the agency pulled some online documents at the request of animal research organizations, which cited the threat of domestic terrorism as the compelling reason to withhold the materials. The documents include annual reports that regulated research facilities submit to the USDA as well as reports generated from federal inspections of research facilities.

The HSUS has not yet received a response to its letter.

The annual reports include information on the number of animals of regulated species used in research, broken down according to whether the research involved pain and/or distress, and whether pain- and/or distress-relieving drugs were provided. Inspection reports include violations found by inspectors during site visits to research facilities as well as to animal dealers and exhibitors such as circuses and zoos.

"The HSUS and other organizations rely on these reports for their work on behalf of animals used in research," says Kathleen Conlee, program officer for The HSUS's Animal Research Issues. "Annual reports enable tracking of trends in research as well as investigation into underreporting of pain and distress in animal research by U.S. research institutions. Additionally, inspection reports flag problematic issues that must be addressed immediately."

The HSUS also requested all documents related to the USDA's decision to remove information from its website. According to these documents, the information was removed as a result of action and requests by several pro-animal-research organizations. These groups cited domestic terrorism as the reason for removing sensitive materials, arguing these documents might provide information that could make a facility or scientist a target.

However, based on written correspondence, these groups requested only the removal of sensitive information from inspection reports, such as the names of researchers, before the reports are made public; the groups did not request that those documents be removed altogether. They also made no mention of annual reports.

"The complete removal of inspection and annual reports appears to be an overreaction by the USDA," Conlee says.

"The HSUS does not oppose redaction of personal information," Conlee adds. "However, it should be emphasized that information about researchers and their work is readily available elsewhere, such as in journal publications and various other websites. Therefore, removal of inspection and annual reports from the USDA's website provides no additional security to researchers."

What's more, Conlee says, the USDA's decision to remove these reports from its website flouts public concern for the use of animals in research, which is ironic given that taxpayers fund much of the research. [The HSUS recognizes that interested parties can submit written requests to the USDA for these documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In The HSUS's experience, however, these requests often take up to two years to be fulfilled.]

"The public deserves timely access to information about what happens behind closed doors of research facilities," Conlee says, "and the USDA should rectify this situation as soon as possible."