ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens Director, Western Region, USDA
(970) 494-7478
[email protected]
[email protected]
SAMPLE MESSAGE:
Please LEVY a MAXIMUM FINE against University of Washington, Seattle, for
their blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) when their
negligence allowed multiple monkeys to die unnecessarily. Their behavior
must NOT be tolerated and MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
SAEN, a national watchdog organization for animal welfare,
files multiple complaints against UW over primate deaths
From
Thelonious Goerz, DailyUW.com, July 9, 2019
Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! (SAEN) has filed a new complaint against
the UW, alleging negligence in the deaths of various primates used in animal
testing under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
The complaint alleges that the UW has failed to take proper measures in
dealing with a variety of primate deaths over the last few years at testing
facilities at the UW Seattle and at a satellite facility in Arizona. SAEN is
now seeking $10,000 per fine per animal from the UW in their report for
failing to uphold the standards of the AWA. The complaint was sent to the
United States Department of Agriculture.
Specifically, SAEN reports that a whistleblower informed their organization
of a monkey’s death that happened after improper fasting before surgery.
According to SAEN executive director Michael Budkie, the fasting procedure
is common in many veterinary procedures and that the death was entirely
preventable. The document states that the procedure is done to prevent
vomiting during surgery. However, the report alleges that the UW was too
eager to gather data and therefore allowed the primate’s death to happen.
The report further cites many critical infractions that the UW has received
for violating numerous standards of the AWA. There are also violations that
SAEN alleges should be included under the AWA that the UW did not report to
the USDA.
According to Tina Mankowski, associate vice president of medical affairs,
the UW did not believe the incidents reported by SAEN constituted
violations. Additionally, they did not believe that if a monkey injures
itself and their efforts to save it fail, that those incidents violate the
AWA.
Included in the report is an instance when a monkey was euthanized at the
Arizona facility following a broken bone. SAEN directly inquired about why
the incident was not labeled a critical citation.
These allegations are not new. In 2017, The Daily covered reports of a
primate death due to dehydration at a UW lab, and in January of this year,
another report of a primate death due to asphyxiation. Both of these deaths
were cited in the report.
According to Budkie, his organization is seeking to make an example out
of the UW.
“The UW should receive the maximum penalty that the law allows, $10,000 per
infraction per animal,” Budkie said in an email. “The USDA should make an
example of the UW, and levy a six-figure fine.”
A representative from the UW expressed the university’s overall sentiments
of cooperation.
“If the USDA wishes to review any of these incidents, we will fully
cooperate with them, Mankowski said. “We regret the deaths of animals under
our care and continue to work toward providing the safest and most
appropriate environment for our animals."