ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Animal Welfare Operations, USDA-APHIS
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against University of Louisiana for their blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act when their negligence caused 3 monkeys to die, possibly by heat stroke. Their behavior should NOT be tolerated and MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
UL could face fines after three monkeys die at New Iberia research lab
From Jiovanni Lieggi, KLFY.com, January 28, 2021
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette could be fined after three
monkeys died from the heat. This would not be the first time they were fined
for violations according to a watchdog group responsible for filing a
complaint.
Michael Budkie, executive director of the animal rights group, Stop Animal
Exploitation Now!, says they have filed a complaint against the university
in response to the animals dying last summer.
“These are all things that are entirely preventable and didn’t need to
happen,” Budkie said.
The university has previously been fined for other violations such as
inhumane treatment of animals, other deaths and animal escapees.
According to the university, the research lab took every preventative
measure to prevent anything from happening to the animals while they were
outside.
“The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and its staff is diligent in the
care it provides non-human primates at the New Iberia Research Center,” In a
statement from spokesperson Eric Maron. “The center follows rules and
guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
and other agencies.”
In response to the animals deaths, the NIRC have taken the following
measures:
-Installed wading pools and sprinklers prior to assembling social breeding
groups during hot weather, thus providing some cooling enrichment and
extending the behavioral observations time.
-Identified indoor/outdoor housing to be utilized during the summer to
establish social groups. Indoor portions of the housing are air-conditioned.
However, Budkie said that doesn’t excuse them from being responsible for the
animals’ deaths.
The complaint filed is asking for the university to be fined $30,000, which
is the maximum allowed by the law.