FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN www.saenonline.org, saen@saenonline.org, (513) 575-5517

Attn: Assignment Desk

Watchdog group names 'Lethal Labs List'

WASHINGTON, DC – Labs across the U.S. that have been accused of fatal animal abuse by either whistleblowers or federal regulatory agencies have been named to the first ‘Lethal Labs List’ for 2011.

Overall, the number of animals killed through negligence/callousness in specific labs ranges from 303 to 3.  Labs have been named to the list from New Mexico, Florida, Iowa, Alaska, Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee and Louisiana.

The list includes two Ivy League schools, several private Contract labs, and universities.  The notorious labs named to this disgraceful list combined to kill 468 animals including 364 primates, 40 pigs, 26 dogs, 16 cats, 12 musk oxen, 3 rabbits, 3 gerbils, 2 goats, 1 sheep and 1 bat.

The animals have been killed simply because they were no longer needed (300 primates), or died of starvation, suffocation, exsanguination, disease, and/or negligence.

The top five Most Lethal Labs of 2011 include:

1. The Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute (LRRI) has earned the number one spot for killing 303 animals through either callousness or negligence.  According to inside information from a whistleblower LRRI staff killed 300 monkeys when a research contract was lost. LRRI was also fined $21,750 for allowing a monkey to choke to death and is under investigation by USDA for two additional dog deaths.

2. Primate Products (Miami, FL), according to inside information from a whistleblower, a disease epidemic killed over 50 primates, and at one point over 500 sick.

3.  Exemplar Genetics (Sioux Center, IA), according to a USDA report, killed 39 pigs in a transport truck.

4 Sharp Veterinary Research (Vernon, TX), according to USDA reports, killed 32 dogs and cats through lack of veterinary care.

5. The University of Alaska (Fairbanks, AK), according to USDA reports, starved 12 musk oxen to death.

“These labs have killed hundreds of animals through either negligence or simple callousness,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN.  “The people of this nation should be ashamed to know that these facilities exist in the U.S.”

The full list is available upon request from SAEN.

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See also: Most Lethal Labs of 2011

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