Originally published February 14 2005
Animal rights activists find documents that detail horrifying lab abuses of monkeys
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Documents recently found at Cambridge University have shown that the university is in violation of animal care laws. In a lab testing the effects of degenerative brain diseases, these activists have found documents detailing the lack of proper care for monkeys, as well as documents detailing monkeys screaming in anger and fear.
Secret documents describing how some monkeys can scream in misery, fear and anger during experiments were produced in the high court yesterday as evidence that the laws intended to protect laboratory animals are being flouted.
Excerpts from Cambridge University internal papers - one of several sites where primate research is carried out - give laboratory technicians and scientists advice on how to deal with problems during and after experiments.
Richard Drabble QC, for the BUAV, told the high court yesterday that the documents contradict the general public perception that animals are well cared for and protected under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Making an application for judicial review of the legality of lab practices, he also alleged that brain-damaged monkeys at Cambridge were not provided with the 24-hour veterinary care which the government's own guidance states is necessary.
David Thomas, the solicitor for BUAV, said: "Cambridge staff work 9-5pm, so animals who had just been brain damaged were left overnight without veterinary attention.
The court challenge comes after the government's chief inspector of animals dismissed the findings of a 10-month undercover investigation by BUAV into three research programmes at Cambridge in 1998.
BUAV claimed they discovered monkeys which had the tops of their heads sawn off in order for a stroke to be induced and were then left for 15 hours without veterinary attention.
But the court heard that after reviewing the license to Cambridge for the three programmes, and some of the other 4,000 testing licenses granted in England and Wales, the chief inspector of animals gave a clean bill of health to all establishments.
For the home secretary, Jonathan Swift said the application for a judicial review should be dismissed.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml