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National Post

Head of secret research lab that used dogs in tests no longer at the Ontario hospital

Article content The dog research at St. Joseph's has been well financed by public and philanthropic sources. Article content Using public records, the IJB has identified more than $3 million in total funding received by the lab's researchers from government funding and foundations including the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Article content Asked for confirmation on the total amount of public and donated funds received for dog research over the past five years, St. Joseph's officials did not respond. Article content The research has been happening for much longer than that. The IJB has found studies on dog use by the same researchers dating back to the 1980s. Article content Michelle Pitt recalls dogs from St. Joseph's Hospital being test subjects in heart failure experiments as early as 2002. Article content As part of her former job as a research assistant at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), she says she witnessed 13 dogs arrive from St. Joseph's 23 years ago for use in heart imaging experimentation involving induced heart attacks. The dogs were temporarily moved to LHSC for a few weeks, she says. Article content Article content Like the whistleblowers, the former employee says the dogs were caged with no beds for 23 hours a day before being killed at the end of the research. Article content Shortly after, Pitt says she left her job after 14 years due to what she calls the trauma from witnessing the animal research. Article content 'It was horrible. It was destroying my soul…I tried to do the best I could for them, but they weren't under my care…. It will haunt me for the rest of my life. I'm just shocked that they're still doing this. It should stop.' Article content St. Joseph's officials did not respond to requests for comment on Pitt's allegations. Article content An archived copy of Porter's profile that previously appeared on the hospital's website says she was raised in Sault Ste. Marie. She is a distinguished professor in biomedical sciences at the University of Windsor and the founding director of We-Spark Health Institute that specializes in research, education and training, and community engagement. Article content 'She is convinced that St. Joseph's is an ideal place where health research and improved patient care intersect,' the article reads.