Leland Clark’s letter (The Scientist, May 29, 1989, page 10) makes several unsupported and incorrect allegations about the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW). SCAW is not an animal rights organization. SCAW is an independent, educational, nonprofit organization concerned with the care, handling, and use of animals. SCAW was founded 11 years ago to bring accepted standards and techniques of academic scholarship to bear on questions relating to the determination of animal distress, to the alleviation of such distress, and the difficult trade-offs that this approach may sometimes entail.
We regret that Clark did not contact SCAW prior to publishing his letter to clarify that misunderstanding. We hope that others will judge SCAW by its deeds and actions rather than by unsubstantiated rumors and innuendos. For the record, SCAW has a nine-member Board of Trustees who make policy and approve programs. Seven board members are scientists at major universities. One ...
