Why This Matters: We recently exposed the tragic death of a baboon in a laboratory. Now, another federal record reveals a ferret’s nightmare demise—further evidence that animals in labs routinely suffer even outside of experiments and despite the industry’s claims of oversight and protection.
They said the ferret was dead. But as technicians began stripping the skin from the animal’s abdomen and chest, he was still breathing.
According to a complaint obtained by Rise for Animals, a “tissue collection” procedure was underway when the veterinarian witnessed “the ferret [begin] to twitch and squirm.”
They were skinning the animal alive.
The incident occurred on March 10, 2025 at Bioqual, Inc., a Maryland-based, AAALAC-accredited contract laboratory that conducts experiments on animals. The technicians were conducting a “tissue collection” procedure during what was supposed to be a necropsy (animal autopsy).
But one critical step was supposed to come first: euthanasia.
They skipped that step.
A federal inspection report states plainly: “The veterinarian [who submitted the complaint] noticed one ferret was still breathing and the skin was removed from its abdomen and thorax… Euthanasia had not been performed per SOP.”
Only after the veterinarian intervened was the ferret finally killed.
Then the cutting continued.
A System Built on Protocols
The animal research industry often claims that strict rules protect animals from suffering in labs.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs), institutional policies, and federal law are supposed to help standardize how “research animals” are generally handled, anesthetized, and euthanized.
But protocols—whether followed or ignored—cannot protect animals whose lives are intrinsically exploited.
Animals used in experiments are intentionally bred, confined, and subjected to invasive procedures. The vast majority of them are ultimately killed.
These harms are not violations of the system. Rather, they are the system.
When additional failures occur—like a ferret being cut open alive—they reveal just how weak the supposed safeguards really are. In fact, Bioqual faced no meaningful consequences at all.
Pattern of Abuse at Bioqual
This wasn’t a first-time offense by Bioqual’s technician.
According to the complaint submitted to federal regulators at USDA APHIS, the senior animal technician involved had reportedly been “mishandling animals for a while now.” Bioqual’s management had “been made aware of multiple instances” in which the individual had failed.
The technician didn’t follow procedure, yet was allowed to continue tormenting animals and holding their lives and deaths in his hands.
On March 10, the ferret paid a horrific price.
The Consequences
After the incident, the laboratory said it retrained its staff.
According to the inspection report, staff members were reminded of the SOPs and the importance of “communicating responsibilities” during procedures.
The ferret who was skinned alive did not, of course, benefit from such a reminder.
The Reality Behind the Regulations
Reports like this one continue to expose the truth about animal experimentation.
The industry frequently points to protocols, oversight committees, accreditations, and inspections as evidence that animals in labs are kept from harm. But these standards are merely an illusion of animal protection.
Animals in labs are never safe. The system exists to exploit them.
People are objecting to the system more and more, with a recent Gallup poll showing more than 50% of Americans do not believe animal testing is “morally acceptable.”
But statistics cannot undo the ferret’s suffering inside Bioqual’s laboratory. He should have been free. Not forced onto a cold table. Living, breathing—and cut open.
You can help stop this from happening to one more animal.
Together, we can work to shut down this industry and prevent future harms to animals in laboratories—championing instead modern, non-animal methods that are human-relevant and scientifically superior.
Take action now for the ferret who was still breathing, and for the millions more who are waiting to be freed.
Your Call to Action: Tell your legislators to support the SPARE Act now to free animals from labs.
The Safeguard Pets, Animals, and Research Ethics (SPARE) Act is a bill that aims to end federally funded animal research. This bill aims to prohibit testing on animals in federally-funded labs, phase-out existing animal experiments, redirect taxpayer dollars to non-animal methods, and adopt out “research animals” to caring homes or sanctuaries.