The University of Louisiana has been accused of animal welfare statute violations at a major primate research laboratory.
Investigators from US animal welfare group the Humane Society have passed a complaint to the US Department of Agriculture detailing “a minimum of 338 possible violations” at the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) in Lafayette, Louisiana. US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilack has pledged a thorough review of the allegations, which the university denies.
“Our investigation found an abject failure on NIRC’s part to attend to the psychological well-being of primates as dictated by law, a lax USDA attitude about enforcing that law, and a knowing and gross violation of the federal government’s pledge to stop breeding more chimpanzees for research,” says Wayne Pacelle, society president and CEO (press release).
The Humane Society has also released a number of videos which it says show the mistreatment of animals at the research centre, these aired on ABC.
In response the university says the videos “distort acceptable standard procedures and incorrectly imply mistreatment” of primates. It also says the videos form part of the Human Society’s campaign to ban all use of chimps in research.
“Nothing in the videos alter the fact that the New Iberia Research Center is in compliance with all federal standards and guidelines regarding the care and use of animals, as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control,” it adds (press release).
Responses below the fold.
“In light of the video evidence presented today, I am ordering a thorough investigation of animal welfare practices at New Iberia Research Center. If the allegations prove to be true, the American public can expect the perpetrators to be held fully accountable. I take the protection of animals very seriously, and will do my utmost to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act.”
– Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilack (ABC News).
This is not the first time that questions have been raised about conditions and practices at the NIRC. Former employee Narriman Fakier has previously said that she was forced to resign from the center in 2004 after reporting animal mistreatment.
In 2005, Fakier filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination, First Amendment violations, retaliatory discharge and whistleblower violations.
More recently, the animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now asked the USDA to investigate the facility after it said it obtained reports indicating that nine primates died at the NIRC in recent years, in many cases from medical conditions that appeared to have gone undiagnosed for lengthy periods of time.
In January, Stop Animal Exploitation Now asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate the New Iberia Research Center. The group alleged that nine primates died at the center in recent years, and that some apparently died from undiagnosed medical conditions.
“USDA’s preliminary findings indicate no evidence of violations of veterinary care and monitoring of non-human primates,” said Julie Simon-Dronet, a spokeswoman for the university.
– KATC.com