| Commentary: Monkey business bust
An animal rights group is demanding an investigation of the University of Washington primate center for its treatment of research animals. The UW lab houses hundreds of animals used in research. Obnoxious, perhaps, but not illegal. In 2011, USDA fined the university $10,893 for allowing a monkey to starve to death and conducting unauthorized surgeries on several others. Telling the truth Ohio-based SAEN regularly combs through the records of U. research centers, looking for potential violations to publicize. A spokesman for USDA, which regulates the treatment of research animals, said that the department would consider the complaint, adding that it is too early to know if the university violated the federal Animal Welfare Act. Another monkey had to be euthanized after a surgical error, an infant monkey suffered a burn on its foot and an adult cut its hand on scissors it grabbed from an attendant. At least they are honest. In spite of people's opinions of the degree of humane handling afforded lab animals, it's doubtful that many would forego the use of vaccines or medical procedures perfected on animals if it would save their life or that of a loved one. University records show that tips of fingers or toes of two primates were inadvertently torn off. One monkey was found dead in its cage after having plugs implanted in its skull for a neuroscience experiments. Its primate center houses more than 700 monkeys, macaques and baboons used principally for research on AIDS vaccines and medical experiments to help understand brain function and neurological diseases. But the truly troublesome element of the protests that SAEN and others of its ilk engages in is that its accusations taint the targets regardless of the outcome of any investigations. Even if the individual accused of such a crime is eventually cleared of the charges, the implications of the alleged misconduct remain as a permanent stain on their reputation. Which, to be honest, is exactly what the agitators who decry medical research on lab animals are hoping will happen. The organization is not attempting to reform medical experimentation, but it is frankly opposed to all animal researchaboratory officials and death threats against executives of companies that own and manage animal labs. To achieve that end, SAEN's recent actions included: Now, if that were all that protestors from SAEN or other groups did, it would represent nothing more than expressions of their First Amendment rights of free speech and possibly examples of rigorous policing of research institutions that conduct experiments with live animals. The group singled out 21 incidents in UW records from 2010 to 2011, including five cases of monkeys escaping from their cages and sustaining cuts and bruises along the way. Some were injured, and two monkeys died following medical procedures. |
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Commentary: Monkey business bust
