Boys Town target of PETA protest

Bob Shemeligian

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It's well known that Boys Town USA cares for tens of thousands of at-risk and disabled children throughout the nation.

But a national animals rights organization claims that Boys Town tortures and kills kittens during medical research at the Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha in a vain effort to try to determine causes of child deafness.

The animal research ceased Aug. 14, the day that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals conducted a press conference at the group's headquarters in Norfolk, Va., to level charges against Boys Town.

But after a review by federal investigators, officials at Boys Town are satisfied that the research is not cruel and is warranted, much to the distress of more than two dozen PETA members who protested at the headquarters of Boys Town USA-Nevada on North Mojave Road Tuesday afternoon.

Carrying placards that read "Boys Town, You Should Be Ashamed," the animal rights activists said it's deplorable that an organization that helps children should condone experimentation on animals.

"Boys Town receives $3 million each year in tax dollars to slice open the skulls of kittens," said Oda Lomax of PETA. "Most die during surgery, but the ones unlucky enough to survive are unable to eat or drink and cry out in pain constantly. These animals receive no medication."

Erin Hellman, 14, who owns two cats, Cleopatra and Mae-Ling (a Siamese), said, "I cried when I heard what Boys Town does to cats."

Evelyn Resh, who was joined on the picket line by Kayla, her 1-year-old black greyhound, said she was "very surprised" to learn that an organization such as Boys Town would conduct such research.

Another protester, Kriss Hellman, said, "I think it's atrocious. They don't need to be experimenting like this."

Virginia Gavlin said, "It's time Boys Town wakes up and puts a stop to these horrendous experiments."

Anthony Kurland, a retired anesthesiologist, concurred, adding that the animal research is "useless" simply because the auditory systems of cats and humans are very different.

"The people conducting these experiments are basically morons," Kurland said.

Just a few feet away as the protest continued Tuesday, Thomas Waite, site director of Boys Town USA-Nevada, said the allegations against Boys Town "are false."

He said following the Aug. 14 press conference by PETA, Boys Town invited independent animal experts and field agents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inspect the facilities at the National Research Hospital and to review research records.

In a prepared statement, Waite said: "Subsequently, the USDA found no violations of any federal regulations, including no findings of any animal abuse or maltreatment."

Waite also noted that an independent panel of experts reported on Oct. 4 that it had found no evidence that the hospital had failed to provide any animal with adequate medical care, and that the panel also acknowledged the scientific validity of the animal research.

But, clearly, the demonstrators were not appeased by Waite's statement.

"It's shocking that Boys Town would condone animal research," said protester Linda Faso. "Clearly the $3 million that Boys Town receives yearly to do these experiments would be better used paying for necessary research and services for the deaf."