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Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"

Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 24, 2003
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN 513/575-5517

U.S. Research Labs Targeted In Coast-to-Coast 'Primate Liberation Week' Protests

CINCINNATI - A series of coast-to-coast protests are scheduled to take place in at least 13 U.S. cities Oct. 25 - Nov. 2 as part of "National Primate Liberation Week," a campaign designed to end the use of primates in experiments.

Protests are scheduled in at least 13 U.S. cites next week, including San Diego (CA), San Francisco  (CA), Portland (OR), Seattle (WA), Salt Lake City (UT), Madison (WI), Houston (TX), Ann Arbor (MI), Pittsburgh (PA), Boston (MA), New York (NY), Richmond (VA) and Gainesville (FL).

In a report - "The Primate Experimentation Scandal, 2003,"  - to be released at the protests, a national research watch organization claims, according to 2002 USDA reports, that more than a half billion dollars annually is spent for primate experimentation on about 100,000 primates, an all-time high.

SAEN, which produced the report and is sponsoring the protests, said USDA documents reveal a "pattern of Animal Welfare Act violations" within major primate labs. Internal reports note primates dying from dehydration and "wasting away." As many as 35 percent of all primates in laboratories experience some social isolation.

The SAEN report also cites "numerous" reporting errors by major U.S. labs, especially around the issues of stress and potentially painful experiments. SAEN is recommending the elimination of redundant experiments, accurate reporting by labs and increased congressional and public oversight of primate research.

"There are significant questions about the actual utility of primates as research subjects. Many scientists are suggesting that primates have not contributed to advances in diseases that are killing humans, including cancer, HIV and heart disease," said Michael Budkie, A.H.T., executive director of SAEN.

"Laboratories are performing highly invasive and painful/stressful experiments on primates and lying about it to the USDA," added Budkie. "Experiments subject primates to addictive drugs, confinement in restraint chairs, and total social isolation (which is known to cause insanity in primates)."

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