43 monkeys escape SC research facility

The US Department of Agriculture is investigating allegations from an animal rights organisation concerning Alpha Genesis Incorporated (AGI), the animal experimentation facility and breeder, from which 43 monkeys escaped last month.

AGI is accused of “abuse and neglect”, and of violations of the Animal Welfare Act, as leaked documents show that between 2021 and 2023, multiple primates held at AGI centres endured preventable traumatic injuries and deaths.

The emails, veterinary reports and photos were passed to Peta by a veterinary whistleblower who alleges neglect, incompetence and a culture of disregard for animal welfare at AGI’s Yemassee and Hampton primate centres in South Carolina.


Records reveal at least 82 monkeys were injured or died from trauma due to unsafe equipment, inadequate care and untreated health conditions.

The revelations include that in December 2022, a young long-tailed macaque was found dead in his enclosure with his arm stuck in a chain-link fence in front of a heater. The AGI necropsy report cites entrapment and dehydration as the cause of death and notes that staff had not checked the pen since the afternoon prior.

In May 2022, an infant strangled herself to death with a piece of gauze used to secure a water bottle. An email from a clinical veterinarian to staff notes that the bottles being used did not fit their holders properly so had been tied to the crates rather than secured with clips.

In May 2021, a monkey died having sustained a fractured leg and dislocated knee after she had become caught in a slide bolt lock known to cause problems for the animals. Monkeys also reportedly suffered from chronic malnutrition andf died of hyperthermia and heatstroke, as well as from infectious diseases such as campylobacter.

The complaint to the USDA from Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) includes 270 pages of evidence, cites “the pain, psychological anguish, and misery suffered by monkeys at AGI”, and also alleges a lack of qualified personnel caring for the primates.……

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...keys-abuse-allegations?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other