“We have not been consulted about where our animals will go. Nobody spoke to researchers about the process,” said professor Shawn Hayley.
“We were sent to the children’s table while adults made decisions,” added fellow researcher and professor Hymie Anisman. “Secrecy is not a good idea. It’s the strangest thing I have ever seen. And I’ve been here for 44 years.”
Being in limbo means researchers won’t be able to collect accurate long-term data. And no data means no papers will be published. Which means new research grants will be hard to acquire, said graduate student Natalie Prowse.
“We’re trying to get into high-impact publications. In this field, three or four months makes all the difference,” she said. “This year of disruption could have life-long impact for researchers.”