UI student fights for service animal access rights to science labs
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCCU) — A University of Illinois student and associate professor are fighting for the rights of service animals when it comes to entry into science labs.
“Right now service dogs are being denied access to certain laboratories,” U of I undergrad, Joey Ramp said.
Ramp and professor Justin Rhodes said the university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee bars service dogs from labs with other live animals like rodents because it could impact those animals behaviors, but they said there is no research out there to prove that claim.
Ramp does not go anywhere without her service dog, Sampson. After an accident in 2006 caused a brain injury, Ramp counts on Sampson to help her with PTSD or going up the stairs. With Sampson's help Ramp wants to improve the future of those who too rely on their furry friends.
“[The university committee] told us that they were afraid it would alter the behavior of the lab subjects,” Ramp said.
Ramp can not take certain classes she is interested in such as a lab with live rodents. That's when Ramp’s research partner, Rhodes got involved.
“When we looked into it to see what literature had been out there to address the issue we didn't really find any studies that could clearly answer the question as to what the impact would be,” Rhodes said.
With a grant, Ramp and Rhodes decided to conduct the experiment themselves to see how rodents react to Sampson's presence in a lab.
“We wrote up a protocol submitted it to the university's Animal Care and Use Committee and they reviewed it,” Rhodes said. “We went back and forth a couple of times there, but the protocol was ultimately rejected which was surprising to me.”
When asked why the proposal was rejected university spokesperson, Robin Kaler said they evaluate the safety and potential effects on the lab in question and make decisions on a case-by-case basis.
“I didn't come to school to fight these access barriers I came to school to learn like every other student,” Ramp said. “I'm hoping we can conduct this study so we can find out the truth and whatever the results are we can move forward from that.”
The university also adds approval for research on animals is based on:
The proposed study must have a strong scientific rationale.
The proposed study must be designed to protect the welfare of the people and animals in the study.
The proposed study must not duplicate existing research.
The proposed study must be designed in a way that is likely to produce data that are useful.
If a proposal is denied, the requesting researcher is given guidance on how to craft a stronger proposal that would be more likely to receive approval.
Despite the proposal rejection from IACUC, Ramp said she does not plan to give up the fight any time soon.
