Local biotech company cited for repeated poor animal care
Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
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"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"
Please contact Dr. Gibbens and demand that he take immediate action
against the Santa Cruz Biotech and confiscate Goat 12438. This Goat has
been lame for over 3 weeks without receiving treatment. He/She is
potentially suffering seriously with an untreated broken leg. AND Please contact Santa Cruz Biotech directly and demand that their
criminal negligence end, and that they immediately retire Goat 12438 to
a sanctuary. |
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21156746/usda-checks-show-goats-at-santa-cruz-biotech
Local biotech company cited for repeated poor animal care
By Shanna McCord, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Multiple inspections this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
indicate goats at Santa Cruz Biotechnology have been kept in poor health
- ailments including an untreated broken leg, severe lameness, low body
weight and abnormal skin conditions.
One goat died of untreated pneumonia during the inspector's visit on May
2.
An inspector with the USDA cited the Delaware Avenue laboratory during
visits in March, April and May. The inspector concluded the biotech
company has not provided proper veterinary care and record keeping has
been sporadic.
"Inadequate numbers of staff at this facility, including veterinarians,
have resulted in animals receiving inadequate medical care and thus
experiencing pain and distress," Marcy Rosendale, a USDA veterinary
medical officer wrote in the May report.
The March report noted a goat isolated from the herd due to a skin
condition and large areas of hair loss.
"The skin appeared crusty with open and scabbed lesions ... and it had
received no treatment in the 13 days since the goat had been isolated,"
Rosendale's March report read. "Additionally, the medical record only
stated that the animal was in poor condition and the skin condition was
never added to the medical record."
These types of investigations can result in penalties that range from a
warning letter to a fine of $10,000 per violation.
Representatives for Santa Cruz Biotechnology could not be reached for
comment.
Ohio-based animal rights activist Michael Budkie wrote a letter to the
USDA on Wednesday asking for a lame goat to be confiscated from the
biotech company.
Budkie, who monitors hundreds of animal research labs across the country
as head of Stop Animal Exploitation Now, said Santa Cruz Biotechnology
is among the worst in terms of treatment and care of animals.
"This is extremely disturbing because one of the animals cited in April
for being lame was in the same state three weeks later. Nothing had been
done," Budkie said. "They hadn't even taken an X-ray."
Santa Cruz Biotechnology, an international company with offices in Paso
Robles; Sun Valley, Idaho, and Heidelberg, Germany, sells antibodies to
researchers. The local facility employs about 200 people.
According to the USDA, Santa Cruz Biotechnology has approximately 10,000
goats and 6,000 rabbits along with an undetermined number of horses and
cattle.
The company has a long record of multiple violations to the Animal
Welfare Act.
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service launched an
investigation into the company after inspections at the facility twice
in 2010 found a dozen sick or injured goats in pain,
In February 2011, 76 sick animals were found at the company. Santa Cruz
Biotechnology was cited for noncompliance involving blood collection
rules, three repeated citations and one goat that was unable to walk.
Medical records for sick animals were found incomplete.
See also:
- Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., Santa Cruz, CA
- USDA Issues third set of Serious
Violations against Santa Cruz Biotech; Another animal dies of Negligence
during inspection
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