USDA Fines Sloppy, Cruel Primate Lab

In response to a series of significant animal welfare
violations and complaints filed by PETA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has taken the rare step of fining the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) almost $12,000 for repeated violations of the federal Animal Welfare
Act. ONPRC imprisons, sickens, terrorizes, and mutilates thousands of monkeys
each year in experiments with impunity, so it’s good to know that the facility
will be punished for causing animals to suffer more by failing to uphold even
minimum standards.

A Record of
Recklessness

The violations, which took place in 2009, included the escape of nine monkeys from the facility as well as the deaths of five other monkeys from a variety of
causes, including from dehydration, being injected with unapproved compounds, and improper procedures performed by an inadequately trained employee.
Following the escape, PETA called on the USDA to investigate and issue a fine
to ONPRC.

In 2007, PETA conducted a shocking undercover investigation, which exposed horrific laboratory conditions at ONPRC. The next year, the USDA
issued an “official
warning“—the precursor to a fine—to ONPRC. Internal documents obtained by PETA had revealed
that a sick pregnant monkey died after being denied veterinary care, that a
surgical sponge was left in a baboon—causing an abscess—and was discovered only
after he was killed for an experiment, and that experimenters mistakenly
performed surgery on the wrong monkey. After repeatedly finding negligence and
callous disregard, federal investigators are finally speaking the only language
that ONPRC understands: dollars and cents.

What You Can Do

Take a stand for the animals imprisoned at ONPRC. Ask the National Institutes of
Health to stop funding cruel and useless nicotine experiments on animals at ONPRC and
elsewhere.