A victory for animal rights groups this week could pose a frightening prospect for UW-Madison scientists. A judge Wednesday appointed a special prosecutor to decide whether nine scientists and officials should be criminally charged â?? which could mean a fine or jail time â?? under a state law that prohibits killing animals by decompression. The scientists used sheep to study decompression sickness, or the bends. Multiple sheep died in the studies, which were funded in part by the U.S. Navy to learn how to prevent the malady in divers. Officials at UW-Madison said they were aware of the state law but didnâ??t believe it applied to them because of an exemption for scientific research in the state statutes.
Office of Strategic Communication