Three seconds into the second quarter of Mississippi State’s 28-14 home loss to Texas A&M Saturday, Caroline Serrano, 28, of Powder Springs, Georgia, and Jenna Upchurch, 28, of Mount Airy, North Carolina, snuck onto Scott Field at Davis Wade Stadium and raced around the playing surface.
Armed with posters that read “TAMU: Stop Cruel Dog Tests, PETA,” Upchurch and Serrano scampered around the MSU logo on the 50-yard line before being apprehended by the Mississippi State University Police Department and state troopers. Upchurch attempted to run away from a state trooper, who then tackled her to the ground.
They were later charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct and were released on recognizance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an arrest report obtained by The Dispatch.
“These young women decided to risk their own freedom to make a statement about shutting the dog lab down,” Tricia Lebkuecher, assistant manager of demo campaigns for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told The Dispatch in an interview Tuesday.
Lebkuecher, who said she also attended Saturday’s game, explained Upchurch’s and Serrano’s race around the field came in an effort to bring awareness to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy canine testing being conducted in laboratories at Texas A&M.
“Facts and figures often aren’t enough to grab people’s attention,” she said. “So these two women decided to try to make a statement by bringing attention in the best way they knew how to a cause that’s very near and dear to their hearts.”
DMD is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,500 to 5,000 newborns around the world and between 400 and 600 children in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health. The Muscular Dystrophy Association characterizes the condition as muscle degeneration and weakness due to alterations to dystrophin proteins that help keep one’s muscle cells intact. Those that suffer from DMD are generally expected to live only into their early 30s and can be wheelchair bound by their teenage years.
A report from the Dallas Morning News in September 2019 said the testing at Texas A&M began eight years ago when the veterinary school hired Dr. Joseph Kornegay, a leader in this particular type of canine research, to study a similar type of degenerative condition that occurs naturally in golden retrievers in hopes of finding a cure for the human form. However, this research has come with a cost, requiring scientists to breed sick dogs and, in some instances, euthanize them.
“What this is is a philosophical divide among those who do not believe in any animal research and those of us who devote our lives to animals, and realize that at this point animal research is still necessary,” Dr. Eleanor Green, former dean of the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told The Dallas Morning News at the time. “One day, maybe we won’t need it. And it’s becoming less and less, but until that day comes, we believe it’s necessary.”
According to Lebkuecher, this was the third such instance in which PETA supporters disrupted a Texas A&M football game to protest against the lab research. The previous two demonstrations occurred at the 2019 Texas Bowl and the 2017 Belk Bowl. As was the case Saturday, protestors in those cases donned all black outfits and presented signs with messages ranging from “TEXAS A&M STOP CRUEL DOG TESTS” to “TEXAS A&M: SHUT THE DOG LAB DOWN.”
According to the incident report, one of Serrano and Upchurch entered the playing surface Saturday by hopping the fence around Scott Field, while the other ran through a gate near the southeast corner of Davis Wade Stadium when an attendant chased after the first person.
Apprehended by Sanford, Serrano was asked why she ran across the field with her sign, to which she responded that the pair was protesting against the treatment of dogs by researchers at Texas A&M. She also noted she traveled to Starkville from the Atlanta area because they knew the Texas A&M football team would be playing there, and Davis Wade Stadium is closer than College Station.
Both Upchurch and Serrano denied being a part of PETA despite both donning PETA labels on their clothing and signs at the time of their arrest.
The Dispatch reached out to Serrano and Upchurch multiple times for comment, but neither responded by press time.
Mississippi State released the following statement to The Dispatch on the matter: “We are reviewing the situation and stadium security measures, as we strive to maintain the safest possible environment for student-athletes, coaches, officials and spectators.”
During his weekly press conference Tuesday, MSU head coach Mike Leach was asked about the protests and whether he saw what happened.
“I didn’t see much of it. I didn’t see what was being protested,” Leach conceded. “I didn’t even know it was a protest. I don’t know much about it. Maybe you can elaborate on it? Because I hadn’t thought about it till just now. But I did see some action out there between quarters or something.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 45 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.