Animal Experimenters Try to Force Airlines to Transport Monkeys to Their Deaths

They’re so desperate to get monkeys—who are nothing more than lab tools to them—that they’re going to court

A group supported by animal experimenters whose sole purpose is to promote the use of animals in laboratories is trying to force airlines to transport monkeys and other animals to laboratories.

The National Association of Biomedical Research, which collects donations to make sure that animals continue to be imprisoned, harmed, and killed in laboratories, has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation that, if successful, will mean that airlines will have to fly monkeys from China and other countries to the U.S for use in experiments. Every commercial airline in the world but one, Air France, has banned this disgraceful practice, which has made it hard for U.S. laboratories to get monkeys as quickly and cheaply as they would like—so they want to force airlines to help them in their bloody business.

PETA investigations have shown what happens to monkeys in U.S. laboratories:

Primate laboratories in the U.S. have a dismal history of abuse. Nearly every one of them is now, or was recently, under federal investigation for violations of animal-protection laws. PETA eyewitness investigations of Primate Products, Covance, the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), and the University of Utah have shown what life is like for these sensitive, intelligent animals—even in the facilities that rake in hundreds of millions of tax dollars to experiment on them.

Federal records show that monkeys in laboratories have died by strangulation in their cages; when gauze was left in their bodies after surgery; when they were left in cages put through scalding-hot, high-temperature cages washers; when they escaped and no one noticed; and in other ways.

Then there is the fact that experiments on animals don’t work and are often just plain stupid—like the experiments at the ONPRC in which baby monkeys were frightened with Mr. Potato Head toys. Those cost taxpayers $750,000.

Like humans, monkeys deserve protection from forced participation in violent experiments.