90 / Chapter 4
For example, the Washington Times reported, “Floods Ruin Years of
Health Research; Texas Medical Center Was Inundated.”^12 In the
sole extant article that acknowledges the deaths of individual ani-
mals, a University of Texas veterinarian admits, “‘We Failed Them,
and It’s Terrible’; Drownings of 78 Monkeys, 35 Dogs Lamented by
UT Veterinary Offi cial.”^13 He apparently did not lament the mice.
Presumably, the dogs and primates were thus mourned in a memo-
rial service held in October 2001 at the University of Texas facil-
ity. Over 150 people reportedly attended. According to Goodwin,
the event was an effort to “bring this tragedy to closure.”^14 In other
words, it was time to get back to business as usual. According to a
2004 report from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center,
“Animal research is going strong.” Goodwin said, “We actually have
more animals today than we did at the time of disaster.”^15
Species Matters
The “get back to business” approach evident in Goodwin’s remark
highlights the meaning that the animals in the laboratory have for
researchers. These animals have a place along the sociozoologic
scale. By helping to maintain the institution of biomedical research,
they become less like animals and more like tools. Their responses
are transformed into “data,” and their very bodies become “cell
lines.” The meanings we attribute to animals determine their moral
status. For example, consider the numerous roles and labels we
assign to rodents.^16 A mouse or rat can be a pet, in which case he or
she has a name and is considered an individual. When a pet mouse
or rat dies, a burial may occur, perhaps in the family garden and
complete with mourners. In such instances, at least some mem-
bers of the family experience the event as a loss. In other instances,
however, mice and rats are seen as pests. They eat food meant for
humans. Through their travels, they spread diseases that threaten
humans. These animals have no individual names. They are consid-
ered disgusting and loathsome. When they die, their death some-
times comes by poisoning. Other times, they die in ineffective
but commonplace snap traps that break bones but seldom deliver