USDA inspectors find inadequate veterinary care at Santa Cruz research facility
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against the Santa Cruz Biotech company for all violations of the animal
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USDA inspectors find inadequate veterinary care at Santa Cruz research facility
By Jessica M. Pasko, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Tuesday, June 12, 2012
SANTA CRUZ - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has found a number of
violations of the animal welfare act at a Santa Cruz laboratory for the
second time in two years.
According to reports, inspectors multiple violations in areas of
research protocol procedures and veterinary care during an a March 6
inspection at Santa Cruz Biotechnology.
A follow-up inspection a month later turned up further violations,
including a goat with a leg fracture in which one part of the leg was
"moving independently from the rest of the leg when the goat walked."
Another goat had an untreated broken leg, while yet another was
suffering a serious, untreated skin condition and was later euthanized.
The inspection found the facility has one veterinarian on staff, tasked
with caring for 10,000 goats and 6,000 rabbits as well as undetermined
number of cattle and horses.
Santa Cruz Biotechnology, one of the city's largest employers, sells
antibodies to researchers and maintains offices in Paso Robles; Sun
Valley, Idaho; and Heidelberg, Germany.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now, an Ohio-based animal research watchdog
group, is calling on the USDA to pursue an investigation against the
company and seek fines.
"I find it most disturbing that many animals at this facility are
allowed to suffer through illnesses and injuries without treatment, and
that the only treatment given to other suffering animals is euthanasia,"
Michael Budkie, the organization's executive director, wrote in a letter
to USDA. "This clearly indicates a total disregard for the law by the
management of this facility as well as a complete lack of concern for
the animals held captive here."
Budkie said he believes the facility's veterinarian is trying her best
to take care of the animals but that one veterinarian for nearly 20,000
animals is clearly overburdened and that level of staffing is
inadequate. To produce antibodies, the animals must be maintained in a
"chronically sick" condition.
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service investigated the
company last year after inspections at the facility twice in 2010 found
a dozen sick or injured goats in pain. Agency spokesman David Sacks
could not immediately say Tuesday whether the company was penalized
after that investigation. Violations can result in penalties ranging
from a warning letter to a fine of $10,000 per violation, Sacks said.
The April 19 inspection at Santa Cruz Biotech found two violations
classified as "direct, noncompliant," which results in an another
automatic inspection within 45 days. Inspectors also recorded one
"repeat, noncompliant" violation, which calls for a reinspection within
90 days, according to USDA records.
A spokeswoman for Santa Cruz Biotechnology could not be reached to
comment Tuesday.
See also:
- Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., Santa Cruz, CA
- USDA Again cites Santa Cruz Biotech for Federal Violations; Federal Investigation underway; Watchdog Group Again Demands Federal Fine Press Release
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