Queen’s University, an EARA member, has strongly defended its decades-long use of dogs in biomedical research, following Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement that the province will introduce legislation to ban the use of dogs and cats in science.  

Andrew Winterborn, Queen’s Director of Animal Care Services, told The Kingston Whig-Standard, that the university’s haemophilia dog colony has directly contributed to the development and regulatory approval of gene therapies now used in human patients. The dogs carry a naturally occurring form of the genetic disorder and are involved in non-invasive, long-term studies that aim to identify a cure. 

Winterborn expressed concern that excluding dogs from research would, “do a disservice to biomedical research,” given their essential role in translational medicine. In 2024, Queen’s used 43 dogs — just 0.14% of the total number of animals used in research by the university.  

All non-affected dogs are adopted out and rehomed, and animal welfare standards are governed both by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and Ontario’s Animals for Research Act — the only province in Canada with specific legislation for animals in science. The university is CCAC-certified, enabling access to federal funding and ensuring ethical oversight. 

Ontario’s proposed legislation follows public outcry over unrelated research with dogs at a hospital in London, Ontario, but experts have warned that a ban could obstruct necessary biomedical progress.  

“There will need to be a continued use of animals, in a judicious way, to understand disease processes as well as to find treatment mechanisms. But everything we do, while they’re being used, is to maximize their health and welfare,” concluded Winterborn.  

Read EARA’s original statement on the matter here.