Activist group riled over escape of 50 rhesus monkeys, and death of two, at UC Davis
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http://www.modbee.com/2013/10/19/2983347/activist-group-riled-over-escape.html
Activist group riled over escape of 50 rhesus monkeys, and death of two, at UC Davis
By Edward Ortiz, ModBee.com, Saturday, October 19, 2013
The recent deaths of two rhesus monkeys and the revelation that 50
rhesus monkeys escaped from an enclosure at the California National
Primate Research Center at UC Davis in 2011, have prompted an animal
rights group to claim that the university is not properly safeguarding
the monkeys, or the public.
The university says it has followed strict guidelines set down by the
National Institutes of Health for the care of laboratory animals in each
incident.
In one case cited by the animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation
Now, a 6-month-old monkey was found dead with a stuffed animal wrapped
around its neck. A letter reporting the incident to the NIH said the
death may have been brought on by a cage mate who was found holding an
end of the stuffed animal. The other death involved a 7-month-old
juvenile that was trapped in a squeeze door mechanism.
Some of SAEN’s harshest criticism of the primate center involves the
escape of 50 rhesus monkeys from an enclosure on Dec. 17, 2011. That
incident was never made public.
“We will file complaints with the USDA as these are serious violations
of the Animal Welfare Act,” said Michael Budkie, director of Stop Animal
Exploitation Now. “We believe UC Davis should pay a price for this. It’s
a major issue because the primates we’re talking about could pose a
public safety risk and the public should know when there has been a risk
like the escape of 50 primates.”
The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture annual inventory of animals
used for research and experiments at UC Davis shows 2,760 primates.
There are 3,045 being bred or conditioned for experiments and research.
The monkeys that escaped in 2011 were used for breeding purposes and not
the study of diseases.
The 50 monkeys got out of their housing area when they manipulated gate
latches and escaped into another corral area, according to a letter that
the university sent to the NIH three days after the incident. None of
the monkeys got off the research center grounds, but many of them had to
be tranquilized before they could be returned to their enclosure.
“The escape is a situation where the rhesus monkeys clearly had improper
enclosures. Animals were able to make their own way out, it is not like
someone let them out,” Budkie said.
UC Davis spokesman Andy Fell said that there was never a risk of the
monkeys leaving the grounds of the primate center, which is on a
300-acre tract of land 3 miles from the main campus. He did not say
whether the same gate latches are still being used.
Escapes are not rare in research facilities, including the one at UC
Davis. In 2003, a 4-pound rhesus monkey escaped during a cage cleaning.
The escaped monkey was being used for breeding purposes and did not
carry any infectious diseases, but it was never found. The incident was
cited as a reason when the university lost a bid to host a $150 million
biosafety research facility for the study of highly infectious diseases.
As regards the recent deaths, Fell said that all such facilities have
mortality rates.
“Many of these animals live in large family groups in half-acre corrals.
All animals are checked twice daily and our staff strives to provide the
best care possible to animals in their charge,” said Fell. “The center
is taking the extra step of investing in research that aims to further
reduce mortality, especially among monkeys living in large groups
outdoors.”
This is not the first time that SAEN, which is based in Ohio, has
lobbied for the USDA to fine UC Davis over primate deaths. Earlier this
year, SAEN called for the agency to investigate and cite UC Davis for 19
primate deaths. In those deaths it was established that 14 of the
monkeys were infants 2 months old or younger whose deaths were blamed on
lack of nutrition likely due to nursing problems. The others were older
monkeys that died from gastrointestinal problems. The university was not
fined in those deaths.
Researchers often use rhesus monkeys for research because of their
anatomical and physiological closeness to humans. Moreover, the monkeys
are easy to maintain and breed.
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