Complaint filed against UNR over sheep that died of thirst

RENO - An animal rights group has filed a complaint with a federal agency against the University of Nevada, Reno over three sheep that died of thirst.

The deaths occurred in September 2011 at UNR's Main Station Field Laboratory when 10 sheep being kept in a pen were not given water for five days, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported, citing a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

One animal was found dead and two others died later during treatment.

The complaint was filed Friday with the USDA and seeks fines against the university.

"This was an incredibly disappointing incident and we take this very seriously," UNR President Marc Johnson said in a statement. "We have adopted a zero-tolerance position, and our personnel actions and operational changes reflect this stance."

Michael Budkie, executive director of Ohio-based animal advocacy group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, said the university should be fined for the animals' deaths.

"There is no criminal aspect to the federal law," Budkie said. "The only entity that can be penalized is the university itself, and we believe it is important they receive as many citations as possible because the maximum monetary penalty is $10,000 per infraction."

That maximum is not typically imposed and often such fines are substantially reduced, Budkie said.

"But the monetary fine should be administered in a way that has a real punitive effect," he said.

This is not the first report of animal deaths, mistreatment or neglect at UNR.

In 2005, UNR paid an $11,400 reduced fine after the USDA cited the university for 46 violations of federal animal welfare regulations that occurred between May 25, 2004, and March 2005.

The federal agency did not cite UNR for the deaths of 45 pregnant sheep who died in October 2002 after being left without food or water for up to four days.

David Thawley, who was then the dean of UNR's College of Agriculture, called the incident surrounding the deaths of those sheep "a mystery."

This latest USDA report concerning last September's sheep deaths said water troughs were located inside the pen where the animals were kept, so the only way to check their water was to enter the pen.

"The animals were observed daily, but the water troughs were not actually checked for water," the report said.

"The caretakers were not going into the pens to physically observe the waterers. They were recording that they had gone into the pens and observed the waterers," the report said. "However, they had not actually done that. They were terminated as a result of the findings of the facility."

UNR in its statement called the deaths "a very unfortunate, isolated incident."

"The incident was promptly reported and an investigation by veterinary professionals began immediately," according to the statement. "Follow-up actions, including operational changes and training, have been completed to protect this from happening again. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reflected the changes in procedure in its report.

"Proper standard operating procedures were in place and this incident was the result of human error. Appropriate personnel actions were taken," the statement said.