Texas horror – 13 monkeys roasted to death in Covance Research center

#covance #primates In two separate incidents, a total of 13 monkeys were roasted alive in a south Texas research facility – the macaque monkeys died of hyperthermia in overheated rooms and the men involved could face federal penalties. This has been informed by a US Department of Agriculture spokeswoman.
As per reports, a federal inspector found that two animals died in September when a thermostat malfunctioned at Covance Research Products in Alice. The malfunction caused the room temperature to soar. In a similar incident one month later, 11 primates died when a thermostat override switch failed.
Covance is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, and makes available animal testing to aid in the development of drugs for an array of ailments, from heart disease to diabetes. The company had notified USDA after the second incident, and corrective steps were taken. These included plans to install temperature alarms in all animal housing rooms, according to a report dated 21 November by the federal inspector.
The primates that died were cynomolgus monkeys – these are a type of macaque that is often used in medical research. Michael Budkie, executive director of Ohio-based Stop Animal Exploitation Now, has revealed that he has filed a complaint with USDA seeking a fine of more than $100,000 against Covance because it was a clear case of negligence due to which the animals were literally cooked to death on two separate incidents. Such negligence deserves the maximum penalty.