The University of Missouri is defending its research practices after a national pet-adoption group publicly decried an experiment that led to six female beagles being euthanized. As detailed in April in the Journal of Veterinary Ophthalmology, the study said roughly 1-year-old beagles had their left eyes intentionally damaged while they were anesthetized. Half of the animals then were given a topical acid treatment to determine if that healed the eye damage. The university issued a statement saying the beagles were anesthetized during the procedure and were given pain medications if any discomfort was evident. The research, meant to develop painless or noninvasive treatments for corneal injuries, “improves the quality of life for both animals and humans,” the university said.

Source: Washington Post September 04, 2016 22:30 UTC