Research Safe Harbor

Animal Rights Extremism

The role of animals in society is an important question that is not without controversy.  Wake Forest University supports the judicious use of animals in biomedical research as a justifiable means to increase general knowledge and to reduce suffering by improving public health in the long-term. The school supports informed debate and free speech rights on the issue in recognition that some of the public disagrees.

In contrast to lawful debate and dissent; however, extremists have harassed, threatened, and assaulted faculty at other universities. The materials linked below are intended to help keep WFU personnel and their families safe and to defend WFU’s research enterprise from acts of extremism.

• WFU Hiring Practices - Screening Against Animal Activism (request copy via e-mail: dlyons@wakehealth.edu)
• WFU Workplace and Home Safety for Researchers  (request copy via e-mail: dlyons@wakehealth.edu)
• “Security Programs” for Animal Research Facilities from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), NIH, DHHS. 

Services Available to Researchers

Security

• Advice, consultation, literature, policy
• Detecting activist interest and demonstrations
• Coordination of response to demonstrations
• Security escorts on campus
• Escorts to home
• Posting of Security at office or home
• Security design on campus or at home (cameras, alarms)
• Liaison with Joint Terrorism Task Force
• Liaison with local police jurisdictions (including surrounding counties)
• Hiring off-duty police officers
• Advice and escort for any criminal court procedures

Contacts: Neil Kearns and David Collum - 716-9111

Public Relations & Marketing

• Liaison with news media outlets
• Positive promotion

Contact:  Paula Faria  - 716-1279