Minnesota Pound Seizure Law

In 1949, in an attempt to protect family pets from being stolen and sold to research facilities, the Pound Seizure Law was created.  The law gave licensed institutions the right to obtain animals for research purposes from publicly funded shelters or pounds if the animals had not been claimed after 5 days   Sixty years later, only three states still require shelters to give over animals to research facilities.  The remaining states are Oklahoma, Utah, and Minnesota.  

 

Families that are no longer able to physically or financially support their pets, often choose to give their animals to shelters hoping they find another loving and caring home.  Most Minnesotans are unaware of the Pound Seizure Law, and do not know that their surrendered pets could end up as subjects in experiments.

 

Animal welfare organizations, including the ASPCA, Humane Society of the United States, American Humane Association, and the National Animal Control Association are against the Pound Seizure Law.   These groups argue that the law is outdated, and it causes pet owners who think their animals will be treated humanely to distrust the shelters.   They worry this could lead to people choosing to abandon their animals, instead of bringing them to a shelter where they could possibly be sold for experimentation. 

 

Currently, there are only 3 institutions registered in the state of Minnesota to receive animals under the Pound Seizure Law. Between 2001-2006, no animals were obtained from shelters by these institutions, proving that this law to outdated and unnecessary. 

 

For more information or to sign a petition against the Pound Seizure Law visit: www.endpoundseizuremn.org

Photo courtesy of Homeward Bound Dog Rescue of MN