Notorious VA lab spent $42K on puppies days after defund vote

Posted by Justin Goodman
09 August 2018 | Blog, POW


In March of this year–following advocacy by White Coat Waste Project, Congress and veterans–President Trump signed historic legislation defunding for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) painful and wasteful dog experimentation.

Now, WCW has uncovered that days after the defund was signed into law, the notorious Cleveland VA Medical Center spent $42,721 of taxpayers’ money to pre-order seven shipments of hound puppies as young as 9 months old.

The seven delivery dates for the ill-fated hound puppies range from June 2018 to April 2019. In a new letter to new VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, Congress members Dina Titus (D-NV) and Dave Brat (R-VA) write that they are “concerned these purchases may be prohibited” and “appear to be an attempt to circumvent anticipated FY19 funding restrictions on dog testing.”

Screenshot of the invoice for the Cleveland VA’s purchase of 21 puppies days after Congress cut funding for VA’s dog testing


This isn’t the Cleveland VA’s first scandal related to its experiments that involve damaging dogs’ spinal cords and collapsing their lungs. Last year, WCW uncovered how the facility killed “friendly,” “shy,” and “submissive” dogs that it told the media it “adopted out.”

WCW billboard placed outside of the Cleveland VA to coincide with Tax Week 2018.


Urge Congress to pass the bipartisan PUPPERS Act to permanently stop the VA from using your tax dollars to fund wasteful and inhumane dog experiments.

Blog Comments

I refuse to pay for any experiments done on animals. Shut down the Cleveland VA medical center!

These experiments do nothing to further scientific knowledge! They are an excuse to continue employment for people who do not mind terrorizing animal and maiming them.

The president signs a bill for no more funding on animal experienc The president signs a bill for no more funding on animal Experiments and you and Virginia spend $47,000 the next day I am not gonna let this go there is no need to experiment on animals any longer. Our science is far beyond that the pharmaceuticals have drugs that they won’t release because they can’t make money if they do they’re going to hold off until they can’t hold off any longer and you are as sorry as the day is long

Absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. Please stop this cruel animal testing. If it must be done these animals should at least get a chance to be adopted afterwards for all they’ve been through. This is no different then animal abuse, which is a crime.

Protect the innocent animals that are suffering from the hands of humans. SAD to say that we are the invaders of their lives. We are the most destructive generation in history. We have to change the way we do things like this. Society today is so screwed up. They are all about killing anything. There are better ways to get the best of the solution. DON’T LET THE INNOCENT SUFFER FROM ABUSE. ACT as if it was a member of your family.

Stop the cruel ,terror on the innocent !!! It’s evil and disgusting you who take park , should rot in hell !!!

STOP THE EVIL TREATMENT TO ALL INNOCENT ANIMALS ,,, SHUT DOWN THOSE EVIL LABS !!!
SAVE GODS GREATEST CREATIONS ❤️

The tests are the same tortuous burning (those things that’s used to burn down whole fields), cutting, electrocuting and who knows what other tortures man can think of that aren’t justified. There isn’t a need for any of these same, year after year so-called experiments. Shame on the powers that be to condone these barbaric acts to trusting lovable pets. It isn’t dogs only. They love to torture pigs, sheep, and horses, the last I heard. I love the military but not this side of them. If you could see or know of the horrible pain these animals go through, you would be sick for days as I was. We need to let Washington know this has to sto. That money could be spent on veteran care. Please take action!

This is disgusting and should be against the law. Crack down on the breeders and fine people! You make it easy for people to be inhumane to animals!

Stop this mistreatment…..inhumane, barbaric

Stop this abuse !!!! Charge them with animal abuse & throw them in jail like other abusers

Those that are doing this to innocent animals should be doing it on each other. The bastards.

This is horrible that they have found a way to get around this. We need to make them accountable for what they are doing and see to it that not one dog gets hurt by this horrible company

Stop this just not right poor baby’s don’t do this

Add a comment

*Please complete all fields correctly

Related Blogs

Posted by anieves | 25 March 2024
  WCW has uncovered an alarming pattern of recent animal lab accidents at Colorado State University, which is working with the notorious EcoHealth Alliance and the NIH to build a...
Posted by anieves | 12 March 2024
  Following a recent White Coat Waste Project (WCW) investigation, a WCW-led coalition of 11 organizations is urging Congress to cut USDA funding to animal labs in China and other...
Posted by anieves | 11 March 2024
  WCW just launched a billboard campaign near the Stokes VA in Cleveland urging President Biden to cancel the lab’s misguided plan to restart wasteful and cruel cat experiments and...

WCW passes Bill to "Eliminate" All Tests on Cats, Dogs, and Primates at the VA!