Veterinary technician program done with purpose-bred dealers
USDA code violations cause program to re-evaluate its vendors.
The veterinary technology program at Raymond Walters College and its affiliate, the University of Cincinnati (UC), are done with dirty animal dealers according to the UC's student newspaper. Due to repeated violations of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) codes, both institutes will no longer purchase purpose-bred animals for educational use. For years, UC and Raymond Walters College purchased dogs and cats from legal operations that provide animals for educational and biomedical research. However, the violations of two dealers-Marshall Farms and Covance-have made this the last academic year for purpose-bred dealers at UC.
In 2005, the USDA cited Marshall Farms for unsanitary conditions. Future citations followed over the next two years including unclean cages and necropsy of puppies and dogs covered in blood after a nail trimming. In 2006, the USDA cited Covance for temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. According to UC's The News Record, the institutes purchased dogs from these operations each year.
Currently the veterinary technology program is teaming up with the Clermont County Animal Shelter to provide future UC students with animals for educational use.
