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Press Releases

National Research Watchdog Organization Announces Investigation of New Iberia Facility; Initial Findings Reveal Negligence, Inadequate Veterinary Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2005
Contact: Michael Budkie – 513-575-5517; 513-703-9865

Attention: News Desk

NEW IBERIA – A national research watchdog organization, SAEN, has announced that it has launched an investigation into animal care at the New Iberia Research Center of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Initial findings based on documents obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveal negligence, lack of veterinary care, and severely ill animals at the NIRC facility.

“Our preliminary findings indicate that something is substantially wrong at the New Iberia Research Center,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director of SAEN. “Government documents show that rhesus monkeys at NIRC are suffering and dying due to negligence and lack of adequate care.”

Necropsy reports obtained from the NIH document that animals at NIRC are emaciated, dehydrated, and suffering from physical trauma. Primates that routinely live until 30 or more are usually dying at age 3 or less.

“We want the public to know the truth about what happens to animals at NIRC,” added Budkie. “We have asked NIRC officials for additional records to adequately examine the situation at NIRC. We hope that this lab will abide by the laws of Louisiana and provide the information we have requested.”

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