Stop Animal Exploitation Now (S.A.E.N.) recently obtained USDA/APHIS/AC inspection reports for over 160 animal laboratories in the United States. S.A.E.N. Director, Michael A. Budkie, says that the violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) are “shocking.” Budkie has called for an immediate investigation.
Boston, MA (PRWEB)June 27, 2006--United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) documents obtained by S.A.E.N. indicate that nineteen research institutions violated the AWA from 7-27 times in a period of nine months in 2005. Michael A. Budkie of S.A.E.N. says that these violations not only endanger the laboratory animals, but also have the potential to endanger the lives of people. “People might consume drugs whose safety testing was performed inside of laboratories where research protocols are not followed, and stress from inhumane care alters the physiology of the animals,” Budkie said.
S.A.E.N. has requested that the Food and Drug Administration suspend all funding for the cited laboratories, charging that since the labs are not following scientific procedures, their products are potentially unsafe for the American consumer.
Some of the incidents in the USDA report include: A monkey strangled on plastic tubing because the researcher who was in charge of the primate went to lunch. A beagle asphyxiated after becoming trapped between the bars of a cage at a pharmaceutical company, and at the same facility a squirrel monkey died after being run through a cage washer (a repeat incident). In separate incidents, other primates lost all the skin off their hands or sustained thermal injuries, a squirrel monkey named “Lil’ Wayne” was found in a state of dehydration due to the shutoff of water during renovations at the facility and was euthanized. Two rhesus monkeys were duct taped to restraint chairs for blood withdrawal and dogs were starved during a two week period to the point that one dog lost more than 38% of his/her body weight.
In a letter to Margaret O’Glavin, Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs of the FDA, Budkie says that “Both the number and the severity of the violations is shocking. It is clear that these laboratories have no respect for the humane treatment of animals or for public safety. It is also obvious that they are not concerned by the potential for enforcement actions by USDA/APHIS/AC.”
In a separate request, Budkie asked that O’Glavin initiate another audit of the Eastern Regional Office of USDA/APHIS/AC by the Office of the Inspector General, charging that the Eastern Regional Office has been inactive with regard to the offending facilities.
The S.A.E.N. investigation was spurred by the recent (September of 2005) audit report 33002-3-SF, APHIS Animal Care Program Enforcement Activities.
S.A.E.N. (www.saenonline.org) was founded in 1996 to force an end to the abuse of animals in laboratories. Its first major event was a news conference that revealed the suffering endured by dogs, rabbits, and primates in 9 laboratories across the United States.
Interested parties may request a copy of “Breaking the Law II, Animal Care in U.S. Labs: Government Sanctioned Negligence”
Contact Michael Budkie
513-703-9865
A news conference is scheduled in the conference room (2nd floor) of the First Church at 66 Marlborough St. in Boston, MA on Tuesday, June 27 at 10:15 AM.
###
|
