Dog Supplier Cited by OSHA After Worker’s Hand Is Cut Off; PETA Urges Federal Labs to Reconsider Ties

For Immediate Release:
May 8, 2024

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

North Rose, N.Y. –

Today, PETA is calling on two federal agencies to reexamine their business dealings with Marshall Farms—also known as Marshall BioResources—the largest breeder and supplier of dogs and ferrets in the U.S. to federal government–run and private laboratories across the country after an employee’s right hand was amputated by an industrial mixer inside its facility.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration levied a penalty of $18,282 against Marshall Farms for lax workplace safety procedures that contributed to the incident.

In letters to the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PETA points out that Marshall Farms has been the site of massive disease outbreaks and has racked up a slew of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act for housing dogs and ferrets in filthy, decrepit wire cages and failing to provide animals with adequate veterinary care.

The Department of Defense and NIH purchase animals from Marshall Farms for use in experiments, with contracts totaling $173,005 and $137,800, respectively, just since the start of fiscal year 2023.

During March 2024, Marshall Farms facilities confined more than 7,000 puppies, nearly 15,000 adult dogs, more than 600 kittens, more than 800 adult cats, nearly 2,000 pigs, and more than 40,000 ferrets.

“Marshall Farms is dangerous for humans and deadly for other animals,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “PETA calls on the federal government to stop paying for abuse with taxpayer money and use animal-free, human-relevant research methods instead.”

Ellie was bred at Marshall Farms and sold to a laboratory. Unlike most dogs used in experiments, she was released and adopted by a PETA staff member.

Marshall Farms was ground zero for a widespread canine distemper outbreak in 2022. It affected 250,000 baby ferrets and spread potentially life-threatening bacterial infections through its cat and pig colonies in Waverly and North Rose. The outbreak likely stemmed, in part, from the close confinement of highly stressed animals.

Marshall Farms also has shipped “acutely sick and dying” animals across the U.S. and Canada, according to large pet store chains.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.