ADOPTED - OCTOBER 9, 2001

Agenda Item No. 27



Introduced by the Law & Courts Committee of the:



INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS



RESOLUTION TO LIMIT THE SALE OF LIVE ANIMALS BY THE ANIMAL CONTROL DEPARTMENT



RESOLUTION #01-311



WHEREAS, by Resolution 84-169 the Ingham County Board of Commissioners reaffirmed its policy of allowing the sale for research purposes of animals which would otherwise be destroyed by the Animal Control Department; and



WHEREAS, that policy has proven to be controversial, with strong feelings on each side of the question; and



WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners continues to support medical research which depends on the use of animals as models for human diseases and treatments; and



WHEREAS, other uses of animals, such as the testing of consumer goods, does not receive the same level of support.



THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the sale of live animals for research purposes by the Ingham County Animal Control Department shall be limited to sales which advance one or more of these purposes.



1) research conducted at bona fide institutions of higher education,



2) research conducted at bona fide hospitals,



3) veterinary research conducted by fully accredited researchers, whose object is the treatment of disease in

animals.



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that except for sales directly to such universities, hospitals or researchers, the Director of Animal Control shall require any buyer to possess a valid license as a Class B Animal Dealer issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture within the State of Michigan, and shall require such buyer to sign an agreement that all animals obtained from Ingham County Animal Control shall be disposed of in conformance with this policy.



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each agreement specify that if an animal's owner is located and requests the return of an animal which is still in a dealer's possession, or still intact if in the possession of a research institution, the animal will be promptly retrieved and returned to the owner, at no expense to the owner.



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any person who releases an animal to Ingham County Animal Control shall be advised that the animal may, by law, be sold by Ingham County Animal Control, for the purposes of medical or veterinary research and that the person releasing the animal to Ingham County Animal Control shall indicate in writing whether or not the person wishes to allow the animal to be sold for research purposes.









ADOPTED - OCTOBER 9, 2001

Agenda Item #27



RESOLUTION #01-311



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chairperson of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and the County Clerk are authorized to sign any contract documents consistent with this resolution and approved as to form by the County Attorney.



LAW & COURTS: Yeas: Lynch, Stid, De Leon, Dedden

Nays: Schafer, Severino Absent: Krause Approved 10/4/01