ACTION ALERT:
Contact the USDA to Demand MAX FINES against UC DAVIS:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Western Region, USDA
(970) 494-7478
[email protected]
[email protected]
SAMPLE MESSAGE:
Please LEVY a MAXIMUM FINE against University of California, Davis for their blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) when they literally ignored a monkey who was taped down to a restraint board for 4 hours. The frightened monkey broke a limb while struggling to free himself. Their behavior must NOT be tolerated & MUST be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Monkey at UCD Primate Center suffers broken leg
By Tanya Perez,
DavisEnterprise.com, May 21, 2015
The animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, a self-appointed
monitor of U.S. research facilities, issued a news release on Wednesday
complaining that UC Davis’ California National Primate Research Center
caused “major injuries” to a macaque monkey and violated federal law.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent by SAEN, the
organization said that “UC Davis should be heavily fined and investigated by
government regulators.” According to the release, the monkey was taped to a
restraint board and suffered a broken limb while trying to free itself.
“The latest inspection report (by the USDA) is a repeat citation for
improper animal handling,” wrote Michael Budkie, executive director of SAEN.
“Therefore, I insist that your office immediately initiate an investigation
of the University of California, Davis.”
UCD spokesman Andy Fell responded, “This was an unfortunate incident in
which an animal was injured while receiving medical care at the Primate
Center’s hospital.
“The animal, which was not part of a research study, sustained a hairline
fracture of the leg while being treated for diarrhea with intravenous
fluids,” Fell said. “The animal was treated and recovered.”
According to Fell, animal care managers, veterinarians and UCD’s
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee have reviewed the incident and
taken steps to prevent this in the future. After reviewing records, the
USDA’s inspector decided to issue a citation.
Budkie has asked that the USDA “take the most severe action allowable under
the Animal Welfare Act and begin the process of issuing the maximum
allowable fine of $10,000.”
But Fell maintains that the “staff at the California National Primate
Research Center strive to ensure the best possible care of all animals in
their charge.
“We regret that this happened.”
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