Intl.animal rights activists hit out at vet researcher

By Marisa de Silva

The controversy surrounding invasive surgery performed by a Peradeniya Veterinary Faculty researcher on three dogs taken from the animal shelter, Kandy Association for Community Protection through the Animal Welfare (KACPAW), has been taken up by international animal rights activists.

Animal rights activists allege that the animals had been taken on the pretext of adoption. Calling for the resignation of those responsible, an international animal rights organization- Canadian Voice for Animals - is presently circulating a protest letter cum petition worldwide, condemning the use of dogs for unethical practices.

The petition has also been addressed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Higher Education Minister and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, The Sunday Times learns.

Among other things the petition calls for “the immediate removal of Prof. Jayantha Rajapakse from the position he holds at the Peradeniya Veterinary Faculty, and Dr. Wasantha Kumara, Head Surgeon of the Government Veterinary Hospital, Getambe, Kandy Sri Lanka.

“We also request that their veterinary licences be revoked and a ban imposed to approach any living animal for the rest of their natural lives and that an open inquiry be held and the public be told of what they did with the organs they removed.”

The petition giving an account of the incidents says, “On May 22 and 23 this year, Professor R.P.V.J. Rajapakse, Head - Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of Peradeniya, had adopted three dogs from the KACPAW animal shelter, on the pretext of re-homing them. Prior to the supposed adoption of these dogs, named Perry, Wussie and Polly, they had been spayed and vaccinated against rabies, Parvo and distemper at the shelter.

“On May 28, KACPAW members had discovered that Prof. Rajapakse had in fact not taken home any of the dogs he wished to adopt as he had made them believe but rather, taken these dogs straight to the Government Veterinary Hospital (GVH) at Getambe, where extensive invasive surgery had been carried out on all three dogs, by Dr. Wasantha Kumara, Head of the GVH. Polly had died as a result of her kidneys being removed, Wussie will remain in hospital for a long time as she has had her pancreas removed and will face life-long treatment and Perry has got 30 sutures on her abdomen,” it further said.

The petition concludes by stating, “we will not cease in our efforts to make this known all over the world while your university insists on keeping these miscreants on the faculty without revoking their licences.”

Meanwhile, The Sri Lanka Veterinary Council (SLVC) will be taking up the complaint lodged by the KACPAW tomorrow, the Council’s registrar Dr. K.N.T. Kandaragama said.