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Stop Animal
Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe
out animal experimentation"
 Newsletters
The Defender
Vol. 2, No. 1 - Spring/Summer 2003
The Deaths of Primates 9K2 and 8D4
at Northwestern University
Northwestern University in Chicago is a large well-known facility
that receives millions of dollars from the National Institutes of Health
for experimental projects, including at least seven protocols that use
primates. Several of these experiments involve brain-mapping techniques
which confine primates to restraint chairs, place electrodes into their
brains, and deprive them of water.
USDA inspection reports for Northwestern University dated 6/11/02
expose violations within many areas, including Veterinary Care,
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and Personnel
Qualifications. These documents reveal the horrific circumstances
surrounding the deaths of several primates. Primate 8D4 died within ½
hour of the completion of a marathon 9-hour surgical procedure. Other
investigators at Northwestern had completed similar procedures in half
the time. Another primate, 9K2, is reported to have died as a result of
water deprivation. Apparently this primate was involved in a procedure
wherein the animal’s water intake was severely limited. At the same time
the automatic watering system for a set of four monkeys, one of which
was primate 9K2, was malfunctioning. This caused 9K2 to be water
deprived even at times when water was supposed to be available, leading
to death. The other three primates in this quad are also said to have
been "very thirsty" when they finally received water.
It is quite apparent that negligence, combined with inadequately
trained staff and inadequate veterinary care lead directly to the deaths
of two primates and the suffering of others.
However, still more problems exist at Northwestern. Not only is this
facility causing terrible suffering to primates, Northwestern is also
lying to the USDA. The same experiments listed above, which obviously
cause substantial pain to the primates, are not being reported to the
USDA in such a way as to disclose the real nature of what the primates
are experiencing.
On May 19th, Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! filed an
official complaint with the USDA asking them to investigate the nature
of the primate experimentation at Northwestern and the honesty of the
university’s reporting. Our complaint became the basis of an in-depth
story by the Daily Northwestern (available on our website at:
http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/media-dn-27may03.html). At the time of
publication, we had no idea how important this article would be.
Since the publication of this article, SAEN staff has spoken
personally with several insiders from Northwestern. I have been truly
touched by the concern that they have expressed for the unfortunate
animals who are imprisoned at Northwestern. Their statements have been
united in one theme. They have expressed outrage that government
agencies and Northwestern officials have done little to change the
suffering of the primates within their laboratories. One person said:
"Nothing is changing. Every day nothing is done means another animal
dies."
These insiders have expressed their gratitude to SAEN for our ongoing
efforts targeting Northwestern. We will not rest until the abuses within
this laboratory have ended. Many individuals have taken great risks in a
courageous effort to help the animals at Northwestern. We will not let
that bravery go unsung. And we will not allow the animals to suffer
without release.
Pleases write to the President of Northwestern University to express
your outrage at the neglect and abuse of primates inside the
laboratories of Northwestern:
Henry S. Bienen
Office of the President
Northwestern University
633 Clark St.
Evanston, IL 60208
Return to
The Defender: Vol. 2, No. 1 - Spring/Summer 2003
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