Researcher defends controversial dog testing study after probes

Frank Prato says two independent animal ethics reviews cleared his lab of abuse allegations, and he defends the cardiac study on dogs after its suspension and public criticism.

Frank Prato, the lead scientist, has spoken publicly after his London, Ont. lab was shut down and his cardiac study on dogs drew public criticism. Two independent animal ethics committees reviewed the program and reported their findings. The hospital paused the research amid the controversy. The provincial government has proposed legislation that would restrict invasive research on cats and dogs. What investigators reported: - Western University's Animal Care Committee and the Canadian Council on Animal Care conducted independent reviews and reported that the allegations of wrongdoing were unsubstantiated and that the research followed approved animal use protocols. - Both reviews included site visits, records reviews and interviews with people involved in the program. - St. Joseph's Health Care London halted the research and commissioned an external review; the hospital said those findings will be released in the coming weeks. - The provincial government publicly criticised the work and proposed legislation to prohibit invasive research on cats and dogs. Summary: Official reviews concluded the research program complied with approved protocols and did not substantiate the abuse allegations. The research remains halted, the hospital's external review is pending, and provincial legislation has been proposed.