The head researcher involved in a contentious study focusing on dogs is justifying the significance of his work for the first time since his laboratory in London, Ontario was closed, and the Ontario premier threatened to outlaw canine research. Frank Prato defended his research in an exclusive interview with CBC London after being cleared of animal abuse claims by two separate animal ethics committees.
In August, an investigative report disclosed that scientists at Lawson Research Institute were inducing three-hour heart attacks in dogs and puppies at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London before euthanizing them for further study. The research was conducted covertly, with animals reportedly brought in under blankets to muffle their sounds of distress.
Following public outrage, including criticism from Premier Doug Ford, who pledged to crack down on such experiments, St. Joseph’s ceased Prato’s research. However, Prato denied conducting his work in secrecy, mentioning that he began using dogs for heart attack research in 1982. He emphasized that dogs do not experience pain during experiments as they are fully anesthetized.
An independent review by Western University’s Animal Care Committee (ACC) and the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) found no evidence of wrongdoing in Prato’s lab. The investigations concluded that the study did not cause heart failure in the dogs, and they were not in pain during the procedures.
Prato emphasized the importance of his research in advancing treatments for heart failure, noting that dogs were chosen due to their physiological similarities to humans in cardiovascular systems. Despite facing career and personal setbacks from the fallout, Prato remains focused on the potential impact of his work on cardiac patients.