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URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN, 513/703-9865  [email protected]
 
LAFAYETTE/NEW IBERIA, LA – Sensitive federal records that reveal gruesome  chimp and monkey deaths and injuries at University of Louisiana/Lafayette, and Tulane University were made public by a national research watchdog organization this week.
 
The two universities should be heavily fined - $60,000 for ULL and $10,000 for Tulane, said SAEN, a national research watchdog organization, which uncovered the deaths and has filed two federal complaints with the USDA, which oversees research laboratories.
 
SAEN said the records reveal two chimps simply dropped dead during preparation for transport and that a ULL employee, who was later fired, knocked out the teeth of three monkeys with a metal pole.  Additionally, an infant primate with paralyzed legs and a necrotic spinal cord was euthanized.
 
At Tulane, a rhesus monkey in need of veterinary care was negligently left in a van for an extended period of time and died.
 
The University of Louisiana has a history of breaking federal laws. It was cited for primate deaths, injuries, and an escape on August 6, 2013.  This same facility also paid a $38,571 fine during 2013 which again involved improper handling of primates and deaths.  ULL also paid an $18,000 fine because of primate abuses in 2010. 
 
“It is shocking that ULL/New Iberia is again connected to multiple incidents of chimp and monkey deaths and injuries,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN.

“This lab should be severely punished for the deaths and injuries of all animals which were due to negligence.”
 
All records are available upon request.  

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See also:

• Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• University of Louisiana, (New Iberia) Lafayette, LA

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