A brutal kitten slaughterhouse where cats were fed to other cats is finally being closed down by authorities.

The Agricultural Research Services (ARS) lab at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had been conducting horrific tests on cats, which were then euthanized, in efforts to tackle food-borne illness.

The procedures involved infecting healthy cats with toxoplasmosis – a parasitic disease – which had been running since 1982.

But the USDA has finally pulled the plug on the experiments two weeks after NBC News reported that the ARS was buying hundreds of dogs and cats from Asian meat markets, killing them and then feeding them to healthy cats at the lab.

In response to the findings, a former USDA scientist told NBC the tests were ‘crazy’.

“Cannibal cats, cats eating dogs — I don’t see the logic,” the scientist added.

‘Deeply disturbing’

Thankfully the brutal experiments will end after the USDA released its statement this week.

“Toxoplasmosis research has been redirected and the use of cats as part of any research protocol in any ARS laboratory has been discontinued and will not be reinstated,” the statement read.

Sen. Jeff Merkley said the tests were ‘deeply disturbing’.

“[The USDA] made the right decision today, and I applaud them for their willingness to change course. It’s a good day for our four-legged friends across America,” he added.

The statement did address the toxoplasmosis experiments directly, but did not respond to accusations of enabling cannibalism.

It continued: “ARS toxoplasmosis research has reached its maturity and ARS considers the project’s objectives for agriculture achieved.

“While there is still additional research needed in this area regarding human health, this research area is outside of USDA’s stated mission.”

Adopted

The USDA explained that only 14 cats remain at the facility, which are being adopted by USDA staff. No cats have been killed since September 2018, it added.

Founder of the White Coat Waste Project, Anthony Bellotti, welcomed the news after campaigning to have the experiments halted.

He told NBC it was ‘a historic victory for taxpayers and animals’.

“After 3,000-plus kittens killed and $22 million squandered, we applaud the USDA for its wise decision to permanently end its taxpayer-funded kitten experiments and adopt out the survivors,” he added.

• Read: Conscious geese choked, crushed and suffocated at former Canada Goose supplier

What do you think of the USDA’s decision to stop the experiments? Tell us in the comments section below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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