Research Watchdog Organization Reveals Violations in Duke Labs; Dog Starved; Monkeys Deprived of Water; Fraudulent Report Filed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN, 513-703-9865 (cell); 513-575-5517
ATTN: Assignment Desk

RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC – National Research Watchdog SAEN is releasing federal reports which reveal multiple abuses of research animals at Duke University. The USDA reports from 2007 & 2006 reveal incidents of food & water deprivation as well as fraudulent reports filed by Duke.

“USDA records show that Duke University has tortured animals and lied to federal regulators,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN. “This lab should suffer serious consequences for these irresponsible actions.”

An inspection report dated August, 2007 reveals that 9 primates inside Duke labs were substantially deprived of water, receiving as little as 10 – 20 ml of water per day. A dog at Duke lost 13% of his body weight in just 5 days after a surgical procedure.

Additionally, Duke filed a fraudulent report with the USDA which lied about the number of dogs and primates experimented. 97 dogs were claimed to have been used in experiments, when 110 were actually used. 14 primates were claimed to have been used in experiments, when in fact 62 were actually used, a difference of 340%.

“The careless and negligent attitude of Duke staff is apparent from these government reports,” added Budkie. “They have purposely deceived the USDA about the number of animals used, as well as depriving these animals of food and water.”

The government reports are available upon request.

-30-
Duke University, Durham, NC