Does Your Campus Have a Policy that Prevents Severe Animal Pain and Distress?

Nearly six hundred schools across the country—from large state universities to small private colleges—have been asked if they have, or would adopt, a policy prohibiting laboratory animals in their care from being subjected to severe and unrelieved pain and distress.

The vast majority of schools contacted are registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as animal research facilities and/or receive federal funding to conduct animal research and therefore are required to follow federal laws regarding the conduct of animal research.

When asked whether they had or were willing to adopt such a policy, schools commonly responded that they were following all federal guidelines to ensure animal welfare in their animal research programs. However, under current federal laws, the conduct of animal research involving severe and unrelieved pain and distress is allowed. Therefore, following federal guidelines is not a guarantee that severe animal suffering will not occur.

We are asking schools to go above and beyond the letter of the law by adopting their own policy that prohibits severe and unrelieved animal pain and distress. Schools were provided with a sample policy that could be readily adopted by their institution.

View the list of schools to find out where your college or university stands. Students, parents, staff, alumni and the general public have a right to know if their tax dollars and tuition fees are being spent on research that causes severe suffering to the animals involved

What is Severe and Unrelieved Pain and Distress?

The following examples of severe and unrelieved pain and distress were taken from reports submitted by colleges and universities to the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

1) Forty-six rhesus monkeys “are physically dependent on morphine and are periodically allowed to go into spontaneous [or forced] withdrawal. During this time, they undergo moderate to severe stress.”

2) Thirteen monkeys “are kept awake for 36-54 hours by use of … lights, videos, music, food treats, toys, random computer sounds, interactions, and technicians” to study sleep deprivation.

3) One hundred ninety-two hamsters are infected with encephalitis—a swelling of the brain due to an infection—at different doses to determine what dose kills 50% of the hamsters.

Take Action

Want to encourage your school to adopt a pain and distress policy, but don't know where to begin? Check out our Campus Policy Toolbox for ideas and resources.

Related Resources

• Severe Pain and Distress Free: How Do I Make the Switch? (PDF)
• Severe Pain and Distress Free: Why Make the Switch? (PDF)
• Pain & Distress Campaign Brochure (PDF)

Get Adobe Acrobat Reader to View PDF Files

List of Schools and Responses

We sent a letter to each of the following schools asking if they had, or would adopt, a policy prohibiting laboratory animals in their care from being subjected to severe and unrelieved pain and distress.

At the time that these schools were contacted, they were each registered as an animal research institution with the United States Department of Agriculture, and/or listed with the National Institutes of Health as receiving federal funding to conduct animal research.

Schools with an “X” in the “Yes” column could have responded to us in a number of ways. We  placed them in the “Yes” column because in their response to our letter they stated that: 1)  they already had an explicit policy for the purpose of ensuring no severe pain and distress;  2) their current animal research policy did not allow severe and unrelieved pain and distress; or 3) they were committed to adopting a new policy.

Any school that indicates that they have formally implemented practices that go beyond federal guidelines to ensure no severe and unrelieved pain and distress will be placed in the “Yes” column.

Schools that respond solely by saying that they have an animal research policy that follows federal guidelines; or not clearly stating that they do not allow severe and unrelieved pain and distress will be placed in the “No” column, meaning they could potentially allow severe and unrelieved pain and distress¹.

Schools are listed alphabetically ². If you don't see your school's name on the list, please contact us at ari@humanesociety.org.

 Facebook petitions have been created to encourage schools to adopt a pain and distress policy. Simply click on the Facebook icon next to the name of your school to sign the petition and forward it to your friends. If there’s no petition for your college or university yet and you'd like to see one added please contact us at ari@humanesociety.org.

School Name	Yes	No	Response Pending
Adelphi University			X
Alabama A&M University *	X
Alabama State University			X
Albany Medical College			X
Alcorn State University			X
Alfred State College			X
Allegheny College			X
Alma College			X
American University			X
Amherst College			X
Appalachian State University	X
Arcadia University			X
Argosy University			X
Arizona State University			X
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College *	X
Ashland University			X
Auburn University			X
Augustana College			X
Baldwin-Wallace College			X
Ball State University			X
Barnard College			X
Barry University			X
Bates College			X
Baylor College of Medicine			X
Becker College			X
Bemidji State University			X
Bennett College for Women			X
Black Hills University			X
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania			X
Blue Ridge Community College *	X
Bluefield State College			X
Boston College - Chestnut Hill			X
Boston University			X
Boston University Medical School		X
Bowdoin College			X
Bowling Green State University			X
Brandeis University			X
Brevard Community College			X
Bridgewater College			X
Brigham Young University			X
Brown University			X
Bryn Mawr College			X
Bucknell University			X
Butler UniversityButler University			X
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona			X
California State University - East Bay			X
California State University - Fresno	X
California State University - Fullerton			X
California State University - Humboldt Arcata			X
California State University - Long Beach			X
California State University - Los Angeles			X
California State University - Northridge		X
California State University - San Jose			X
California State University - San Marcos			X
California State University - Sonoma			X
Calvin College			X
Camden County College			X
Campbell University-School of Pharmacy			X
Canisius College			X
Capital University			X
Cardinal Stritch University *	X
Carleton College			X
Carnegie Mellon University			X
Case Western Reserve University			X
Cedar Valley College			X
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center			X
Central Carolina Community College *	X
Central Connecticut State University			X
Central Michigan University			X
Central Missouri State University			X
Central Washington University *	X
Centre College			X
Chicago Medical School			X
Chicago State University			X
City College/Medical School of City College of New York			X
Clarkson University			X
Clark University - Worcester			X
Clemson University			X
Cleveland State University			X
Colby College			X
Colby Community College			X
College of Charleston			X
College of Our Lady of the Elms			X
College of Southern Idaho			X
College of the Holy Cross			X
College of William and Mary			X
College of Wooster			X
Colorado Mountain College			X
Colorado State University			X
Columbia State Community College			X
Columbia University			X
Columbus State Community College			X
Community College of Baltimore County			X
Connecticut College			X
Cornell College			X
Cornell University		X
Cosumnes River College			X
County College of Morris *	X
Creighton University			X
Cuyahoga Community College			X
Dartmouth College			X
Davidson College		X
De Paul University			X
Delaware State University			X
Delaware Valley College			X
Denison University			X
Des Moines University - College of Osteopathic Medicine			X
Dickinson College			X
Doane College			X
Drake University	X
Drew University			X
Drew University of Medicine & Science			X
Drexel University			X
Duke University			X
Duluth Business University			X
Duquesne University of The Holy Ghost			X
East Carolina University			X
East Tennessee State University			X
Eastern Michigan University			X
Eastern New Mexico University			X
Eastern Virginia Medical School			X
Eastern Washington University			X
Eastern Wyoming College			X
Emory University			X
Emporia State University			X
Evergreen State College - Olympia			X
Fairfield University *	X
Fairmont State Community Technical College			X
Ferris State University			X
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University *	X
Florida Atlantic University		X
Florida International University			X
Florida State University			X
Foothill College *	X
Fordham University		X
Fort Valley State University *	X
Francis Marion University *	X
Franklin & Marshall College	X
Furman University			X
Gaston College	X
George Fox University			X
George Mason University			X
George Washington University			X
Georgetown University			X
Georgia State University			X
Grambling State University			X
Grand Valley State University		X
Gustavus Adolphus College		X
Harcum College			X
Hartnell College			X
Harvard Medical School			X
Harvard University			X
Hendrix College			X
Hiram College			X
Hobart and William Smith Colleges			X
Hofstra University			X
Holyoke Community College			X
Hope College			X
Howard University College of Medicine			X
Hunter College			X
Idaho State University			X
Illinois College of Optometry			X
Illinois State University			X
Illinois Wesleyan University			X
Indiana University - Bloomington			X
Indiana University - Kokomo			X
Indiana University - Southeast			X
Indiana University of Pennsylvania			X
Indiana University School of Dentistry			X
Indiana University School of Medicine			X
Iowa State University			X
Ithaca College	X
Jackson State University *	X
Jacksonville State University			X
James Madison University	X
Johns Hopkins University			X
Johnson College			X
Joliet Junior College			X
Kalamazoo College			X
Kansas State University			X
Kaplan College			X
Kent State University			X
Kenyon College		X
King's College	X
Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine *	X
Kirkwood Community College			X
Knox College		X
LaFayette College			X
Laguardia Community College			X
Lehigh Carbon Community College			X
Lehigh University			X
Lehman College		X
Lincoln Memorial University *	X
Linfield College		X
Lock Haven University			X
Loma Linda University			X
Long Island University			X
Louisiana State University System			X
Louisiana Tech University			X
Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles			X
Loyola University of Chicago			X
Luther College			X
Lynchburg College			X
Macalester College			X
Macomb Community College			X
Madison Area Tech College District			X
Manor College			X
Marquette University		X
Marshall University			X
Mary Baldwin College			X
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health			X
McLennan Community College *	X
Medaille College			X
Median School of Allied Health Careers			X
Medical College of Georgia			X
Medical College of Wisconsin			X
Medical University of Ohio			X
Medical University of South Carolina			X
Meharry Medical College			X
Mercer University			X
Mesa Community College			X
Mesa State College			X
Metropolitan Community College - Maple Woods *	X
Miami Dade College *	X
Miami University			X
Michigan State University			X
Michigan Technological University *	X
Middlebury College			X
Midland College			X
Midwestern University			X
Minnesota School of Business - Brooklyn Center			X
Minnesota School of Business - Plymouth			X
Minnesota School of Business - Shakopee			X
Minnesota State University			X
Minot State University			X
Mississippi State University			X
Missouri State University		X
Missouri Western State College			X
Monmouth University			X
Montana State University			X
Montgomery College			X
Morehead State University			X
Morehouse School of Medicine			X
Morgan State University - Baltimore *	X
Mount Holyoke College			X
Mount Ida College			X
Mount Saint Mary's College - Chalon Campus			X
Mount San Antonio College			X
Mount Sinai School of Medicine			X
Murray State College			X
Murray State University			X
Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture			X
New England College of Optometry			X
New Mexico Highlands University *	X
New Mexico State University			X
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine			X
New York Medical College			X
New York University - Washington Square			X
New York University School of Medicine			X
Newberry College			X
Niagara University			X
Nicholls State University			X
North Carolina A&T State University			X
North Carolina State University			X
North Dakota State University			X
North Harris Montgomery Community College			X
Northeast Community College			X
Northeastern Illinois University			X
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine			X
Northeastern State University *	X
Northeastern University			X
Northern Arizona University			X
Northern Illinois University			X
Northern Kentucky University			X
Northern Michigan University			X
Northern Virginia Community College			X
Northwest Missouri State University			X
Northwestern Connecticut Community College			X
Northwestern State University			X
Northwestern University			X
Nova Southeastern University *	X
Oakland University			X
Oberlin College			X
Occidental College			X
Ogeechee Technical College	X
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine			X
Ohio Northern University			X
Ohio State University		X
Ohio University			X
Ohio Wesleyan University			X
Oklahoma State University		X
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City			X
Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine			X
Old Dominion University			X
Oregon Health & Sciences University			X
Oregon State University			X
Pace University			X
Pacific Lutheran University			X
Pacific University *	X
Palmer College of Chiropractic			X
Palo Alto College			X
Parkland College			X
Pennsylvania College of Optometry			X
Pierce College			X
Pima Community College *	X
Pittsburg State University			X
Plymouth State University			X
Pomona College			X
Portland Community College			X
Portland State University			X
Prairie View A&M University			X
Princeton University			X
Providence College			X
Purdue University			X
Quinnipiac University			X
Reed College			X
Regis University			X
Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute			X
Rhode Island College			X
Rhodes College			X
Rhodes College - Memphis			X
Rider University			X
Ridgewater College			X
Rochester Community and Technical College			X
Rockefeller University			X
Roger Williams University			X
Rollins College			X
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science			X
Rowan University *	X
Rutgers - State University of New Jersey			X
Saginaw Valley State University			X
Saint Anselm College			X
Saint Joseph's University	X
Saint Mary's University - San Antonio			X
Saint Michael's College			X
Saint Vincent College			X
San Diego Mesa College			X
San Diego State University			X
San Francisco State University			X
San Joaquin Valley College			X
Sanford-Brown Institute			X
Santa Clara University			X
Savannah State University			X
Seton Hall University			X
Shenandoah University			X
Siena College			X
Simmons College			X
Skidmore College	X
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania			X
Smith College			X
South Dakota State University			X
Southeast Missouri State			X
Southern Connecticut State University *	X
Southern Illinois University			X
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine			X
Southern Methodist University			X
Southern Oregon University			X
Southern University - Baton Rouge *	X
St. Bonaventure University		X
St. John's University			X
St. Johns University Collegeville - College of Saint Benedict			X
St. Lawrence University			X
St. Louis University			X
St. Petersburg College			X
Stanford University			X
State University of New York - Albany		X
State University of New York - College at Oswego			X
State University of New York - College of Environmental Science	X
State University of New York - College of Plattsburgh			X
State University of New York - College of Technology			X
State University of New York - College of Technology/Canton			X
State University of New York - Downstate Medical Center			X
State University of New York - School of Medicine at Buffalo			X
State University of New York - State College of Optometry			X
State University of New York - University at Binghamton			X
State University of New York - Upstate Medical University			X
Stautzenberger College			X
Stetson University			X
Stevens Institute of Technology			X
Stony Brook University			X
Suffolk Community College			X
Sul Ross State University			X
Swarthmore College		X
Syracuse University			X
Temple University			X
Tennessee State University			X
Terre Haute Center for Medical Education			X
Texas A&M University at Kingsville			X
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center - Baylor College of Dentistry			X
Texas A&M University			X
Texas Christian University			X
Texas Lutheran University			X
Texas Southern University - Houston			X
Texas State University - San Marcos		X
Texas Tech University			X
Texas Womens University			X
Thomas Jefferson University			X
Touro University			X
Towson State University			X
Transylvania University			X
Tri-County Technical College			X
Trinity College			X
Trinity University			X
Truman State University			X
Tufts University			X
Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine			X
Tulane University			X
Tulsa Community College			X
Tuskegee University			X
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences			X
Union College *	X
University of Alabama			X
University of Alabama - Birmingham			X
University of Alaska			X
University of Arizona			X
University of Arkansas			X
University of Arkansas - Little Rock			X
University of Arkansas for Medical Science	X
University of California - Berkeley		X
University of California - Davis		X
University of California - Irvine		X
University of California - Los Angeles		X
University of California - Riverside		X
University of California - San Diego		X
University of California - San Francisco		X
University of California - Santa Barbara		X
University of California - Santa Cruz		X
University of Central Arkansas			X
University of Central Florida			X
University of Chicago			X
University of Cincinnati			X
University of Colorado - Boulder			X
University of Colorado - Denver			X
University of Connecticut		X
University of Dayton			X
University of Delaware			X
University of Denver			X
University of Detroit - Mercy			X
University of Florida			X
University of Georgia			X
University of Hawaii - Manoa		X
University of Houston			X
University of Idaho		X
University of Illinois - Chicago			X
University of Illinois - College of Medicine at Peoria			X
University of Illinois at Chicago - College of Medicine at Rockford			X
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign			X
University of Incarnate Word *	X
University of Iowa			X
University of Kansas			X
University of Kentucky			X
University of La Verne *	X
University of Louisiana - Lafayette			X
University of Louisiana - Monroe			X
University of Louisville			X
University of Maine			X
University of Maryland - College Park			X
University of Maryland - Baltimore			X
University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute			X
University of Maryland Dental School			X
University of Massachusetts - Amherst			X
University of Massachusetts			X
University of Massachusetts Medical School			X
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School			X
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Osteopathic Medicine			X
University of Memphis			X
University of Miami		X
University of Michigan			X
University of Minnesota			X
University of Mississippi			X
University of Missouri - Columbia		X
University of Missouri - St Louis			X
University of Missouri - Kansas City			X
University of Montana		X
University of Nebraska - Lincoln			X
University of Nebraska - Omaha			X
University of Nebraska Medical Center			X
University of New England			X
University of New Hampshire			X
University of New Mexico			X
University of New Orleans			X
University of North Carolina - Asheville			X
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill			X
University of North Carolina - Charlotte			X
University of North Carolina - Greensboro			X
University of North Dakota			X
University of North Texas			X
University of North Texas Health Science Center			X
University of Northern Colorado			X
University of Notre Dame			X
University of Oklahoma - Norman			X
University of Oklahoma Health Science Center			X
University of Oregon			X
University of Pennsylvania			X
University of Pittsburgh			X
University of Rhode Island			X
University of Richmond		X
University of Rochester - School of Medicine and Dentistry			X
University of San Diego			X
University of Scranton			X
University of South Alabama			X
University of South Carolina			X
University of South Dakota			X
University of South Florida			X
University of Southern California		X
University of Southern Mississippi			X
University of St. Thomas		X
University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, College of Medicine			X
University of Tennessee - Knoxville			X
University of Tennessee - Memphis			X
University of Texas - Arlington			X
University of Texas - Austin			X
University of Texas - Dallas			X
University of Texas - El Paso			X
University of Texas - Health Science Center at Houston			X
University of Texas - Health Science Center at San Antonio			X
University of Texas - Health Science Center at Tyler		X
University of Texas - Medical Branch at Galveston			X
University of Texas - Pan American *	X
University of Texas - Permian Basin			X
University of Texas - San Antonio			X
University of Texas - Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas			X
University of The Ozarks *	X
University of The Pacific			X
University of The Sciences In Philadelphia - Philadelphia College of Pharmacy			X
University of The South			X
University of Toledo			X
University of Tulsa			X
University of Utah			X
University of Vermont			X
University of Virginia			X
University of Washington			X
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire			X
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse			X
University of Wisconsin - Madison			X
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee			X
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh			X
University of Wisconsin - River Falls			X
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point			X
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater			X
University of Wyoming			X
Ursinus College			X
Utah Career College			X
Utah State University		X
Utah Valley University			X
Valdosta State University *	X
Valparaiso University			X
Vanderbilt University			X
Vassar College			X
Vatterott College			X
Vermont Technical College			X
Villanova University		X
Virginia Commonwealth University			X
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University			X
Virginia State University	X
Wake Forest University			X
Washington and Lee University			X
Washington State University			X
Washington University			X
Wayne State University			X
Weatherford College			X
Weber State University			X
Weill Medical College of Cornell University			X
Wellesley College			X
Wesleyan University		X
West Chester University of Pennsylvania		X
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine			X
West Virginia University			X
Western Carolina University	X
Western Illinois University			X
Western Kentucky University			X
Western Michigan University			X
Western State College of Colorado			X
Western University of Health Sciences			X
Wheaton College *	X
Whitman College			X
Wichita State University		X
William Marsh Rice University			X
William Paterson University of New Jersey			X
Williams College			X
Wilson College *	X
Winston-Salem State University			X
Winthrop University			X
Worcester Polytechnic Institute			X
Wright State University			X
Xavier University of Louisiana			X
Yakima Valley Community College			X
Yale University			X
Yeshiva University - Albert Einstein College of Medicine			X
York College of City University of New York *	X
Youngstown State University			X

¹ This list is not a ranking or endorsement of the schools listed.

² Placement in the “No” column does not necessarily indicate that the school is currently conducting research that causes severe and unrelieved pain and distress.

Back to Top

Updated Oct. 15, 2009