An animal rights group has stirred controversy in Utah after one of its activists infiltrated the state university's biomedical research lab and used hidden cameras to spy on their activities and document what it claims is abusive treatment of lab animals.

The group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, say their spy brought out video showing lab assistants cavalierly referring to the abuse of animals, with mice dying from neglect and devices surgically implanted on the bodies of rabbits and cats. "Betcha if you squeezed that, that would pop," a lab worker says as he holds up a mouse with a bulging abdomen.

The university, though, was quick to dismiss the allegations as well as the video. "None of the things she alleges are substantive," said Tom Parks, vice president for research at the University of Utah. "It's a remarkably banal list of ordinary events in an animal-care facility."

- read the story from the Salt Lake Tribune
- Nature has some of the video clips

Related Articles:
Facing attacks, Iowa sends research underground
Group firebombs another UCLA researcher's car
Animal rights activists firebomb researchers' house, car
Protesters target the homes of research scientists
U.K. animal rights activist impact R&D