Animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation NOW has filed a complaint against Yale University for allegedly injuring two squirrels in a research project involving thirteen-lined ground squirrels. The squirrels were part of a hibernation and metabolism study that began in 2012. The injury reported was a degloved tail, which can occur when an animal is handled by its tail. The group claims that Yale violated the Animal Welfare Act and is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate and issue fines.

Yale officials conducted a fact-finding investigation into the incident and reported the results to the National Institutes of Health. Stop Animal Exploitation NOW was founded in 1996 to end animal abuse in laboratories and has been involved in revealing abuses in various research facilities. The group is urging for an end to animal testing and advocating for the ethical treatment of animals in research settings.