Ghostbusters’ Star Urges Wayne State University to Stop Barbaric Dog Experiments

Ernie Hudson, known for his role in Ghostbusters and an alumnus of Wayne State University, recently made a passionate appeal to his former school to halt its controversial experiments on dogs. Hudson’s request came after he reviewed upsetting images from the breeding facility supplying animals to the university. In his letter to Wayne State’s President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Hudson expressed his shock over what he described as “painful, deadly heart failure experiments” involving dogs at the university, adding that the cruelty of the situation was even worse than he initially thought.

The images that moved Hudson to speak out were obtained from Marshall BioResources, a breeding facility in New York where approximately 18,000 dogs are kept in captivity. A former employee leaked the photos to The Camp Beagle, a U.K.-based advocacy group, which then shared them with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). According to public records collected by PCRM, Wayne State acquired at least 86 dogs from Marshall BioResources between 2014 and early 2023.

The experiments at Wayne State, which have been ongoing since 1991, involve invasive surgeries where devices are implanted in the animals’ hearts and arteries, followed by intense treadmill exercises. Many dogs do not survive, succumbing to internal bleeding and other complications. Recently, Wayne State researchers have even started feeding the dogs a high-fat diet to bring about metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of heart issues and strokes. Ryan Merkley, director of research advocacy at PCRM, criticized these procedures, stating, “These dead-end dog experiments haven’t helped a single patient,” adding that Wayne State’s investment in such practices is a waste of taxpayer money.

The university’s ongoing animal research practices have sparked efforts to introduce legislation banning painful experiments on dogs at public institutions in Michigan. Representative Matt Koleszar and Senator Paul Wojno have proposed bills, HB 4849 and SB 1019, respectively, which aim to stop such experiments in the state. Actress and fellow Wayne State alum Lily Tomlin has also voiced her Support for the legislation.

Critics of Wayne State’s approach argue that the $17 million in public funding it has received could be better allocated to research methods that do not involve animals.

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