Dear Monkeys: These Eleven Days of Action Are for You
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Progress for Science
August 2014

We continue to use the number eleven because, whether alive and suffering, murdered, or sent far away, each one of these monkeys means something to us and to the people who care about the fate of others.

August 21 - August 31

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Why does Progress for Science use the number eleven when memorializing the incarcerated monkeys at UCLA? Because hidden inside the locked vaults of the university labs, the monkeys entombed there are unknowable to us—they are nameless, even referred to by one of the very vivisectionists who experiments on them in senseless and wasteful drug addiction studies as “hypothetical”. To the vivisection industry they exist only as aggregate numbers on USDA violations reports.

In 2012, the USDA reported eleven monkeys were inside of labs at UCLA. Recently, in a 2013 report there were only eight monkeys listed. What has UCLA done to the other three? Did they waste away and die of loneliness and fear in their little cages? Were they shipped off to some other lab for another university lab’s never-ending research project? Were they killed by UCLA? We don’t know, and they don’t tell.

We continue to use the number eleven because, whether alive and suffering, murdered, or sent far away, each one of these monkeys means something to us and to the people who care about the fate of others. Monkeys, please know, whether we light candles for those of you who are still with us or you who have passed on, we will think of you, we will fight for you, we will always remember you.

Each day of action we dedicate individually to one of you, We are the voices of you who've been silenced. These Days of Action are for you.

Some of our events are in Los Angeles, but some are ones folks can do from anywhere in the world. And some are actually fun!

Our Day 1 lantern-making workshop sponsored by David Walega’s Art for Animals, is just the ticket if you enjoy making stuff and hanging with friends! On this day we will create the beautiful paper lamps that will light our walk to the Santa Monica pier on Day 11. You can’t be a vegan/animal rights activist in California without a potluck so we’ve got that fun for you as well. On Day 4 we’ll be eating scrumptious treats at supporter Robb’s place while we go over tips and strategies to get petitions signed and the anti-vivisection message heard. And on Day 9 those of you who are creative can make your own signs and take photos to share on social media to express why you oppose vivisection.

In a more serious vein, we have two events that take us to the neighborhoods of the vivisectors themselves− who both do painful and needless experiments involving addictive drugs on monkeys; derailing real science and causing prolonged suffering of human addicts who are denied treatment programs because of lack of funding, and wasting tax payers dollars to boot. As well as tormenting, taking away life and liberty of innocents (Days 2 and 3).

Next up (Days 5 through 9) are on-line, phone, and postal events that can be done from anywhere in the world! We will educate ourselves more fully about vivisection, share videos, petitions, post photos, write letters, make calls, send emails, and ask for much needed funds as well as offer our help for our allies in the Support Kevin and Tyler drive.

On Day 10 we hit the ground again as we team up with one of our sister groups–Empty Cages LA− to educate Air France passengers that they are the last remaining major commercial airline to still be shipping monkeys to their deaths in labs in the US.

To conclude our Days of Action (Day 11), we light a path to the sea, a symbol of freedom and release, as we march from the promenade in Santa Monica to the shore, spreading the message of the plight of the eleven innocent monkeys at UCLA. For the Eleven, join us!

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