ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Western Region, USDA
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against Alpha Genesis for their blatant
disregard of the Animal Welfare Act when their negligence killed ten monkeys
through crush injuries and/or sepsis. Their behavior should NOT be tolerated
and MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Watchdog group files federal complaint on Yemassee primate research lab
From Tony Fortier-Bensen, ABCNews4.com, July 22, 2020
A national animal abuse watchdog nonprofit group has filed a federal
complaint against a primate research lab in Yemassee, according to a press
release.
SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation Now), an Ohio-based national watchdog
nonprofit, said that they uncovered an internal document that alleges Alpha
Genesis said 10 monkeys have died in 12 months, six by "crush injury," and
four by "sepsis," which is death by harmful microorganisms in the blood or
tissue that leads to body organs malfunctioning.
Now, SAEN said they filed a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture that Alpha Genesis broke federal laws on treatment of animals,
veterinary care and animal handling.
In response, Alpha Genesis said in an email to ABC News 4 that those reports
are from "routine necropsy reports, similar to autopsy reports in humans."
They added, "The medical terminology used represents injuries that animals
sustained most directly from fights with other animals in large social
groupings. All animals received appropriate veterinary care. These types of
injuries are a by-product of animals living together in breeding groups, and
similar injuries routinely occur in nature as a result of fights, most
occurring from social dominance interactions. While we do everything
possible to minimize such occurrences they are inherent to primate social
behavior under group-living conditions."
Lastly, they said it is a "false narrative from an extremist group."
In their most recent USDA report on February 19, 2020, officials said that
they were in full compliance with all federal regulations in the Animal
Welfare Act.
ABC News 4 has also reached out the USDA for more comment.
Previously, Alpha Genesis had to pay a $12,600 federal fine in 2017 for the
deaths of three primates and 28 escapes.
The nonprofit is hoping the research lab receives a maximum penalty of
$10,000 per infraction per animal.