Charles River Lab Was Only Fined 4500 for Killing a Monkey

There's not enough words to say how horrible this is. This lab, left a monkey in it's cage and then put it through the cage cleaner. A cage cleaner that disinfects and has water that would burn the skin right off of the monkey. It's a sterilizing washer for goodness sakes! Just think about the severe pain that that monkey went through because someone was irresponsible and couldn't see the monkey in the cage? How can anyone do such a thing? How can someone NOT notice a monkey in a cage that your going to put through a washer? The cages that these labs use are of minimal size so how can you miss a monkey in one?

As I have always said, The USDA does not regulate, fine or close down these types of facilities for the abuse, neglect and inhumane treatment of these primates because they are affiliated with them. It's hard to regulate yourself isn't it? To only fine a large organization that has millions of dollars only $4500, in my opinion, isn't even a small smack on the hand! That's all that monkeys life was worth?!!!!!!!
"humane and high quality care is a priority" was the companies statement, this a sure sign that that statement is false.


Story-
An animal testing company has paid a $4,500 fine for killing a primate by leaving it in a cage before sending it through a cage cleaner last April in Reno, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.

The amount for the macaque death killed at the Charles River Laboratories facility on Longley Lane facility is about half the $10,000 it paid the USDA after a May 28, 2008, incident in which severe heat led to the deaths of 32 primates in the company's lab on Dunn Circle in Sparks.

Dave Sacks, spokesman for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said no information was available on how the USDA determined the fine amount.

Amy Cianciaruso, associate director of public relations for Charles River, acknowledged Tuesday the laboratory had been fined for the incident last year but said she did not know the amount.

The incident was documented in a June inspection of the facility by the USDA and brought to light Tuesday by the animal advocacy group Stop Animal Exploitation Now!

The group charged commercial cage washers "sterilize the enclosures, meaning that this primate was literally boiled alive."

Cianciaruso acknowledged the macque died as a result of being put through the cage washer, but the specific cause of death was not determined.

"This unfortunate incident was the result of human error," Charles River said in a statement. "We have enhanced our quality control processes at the Reno facility and have implemented these best practices at all of our sites globally. We expect these actions will preclude the recurrence of a similar event."

The USDA report said Charles River workers twice signed off that there were no animals in the cage. They were supposed to check before a pre-cleaning and before putting the cage into the washer, the USDA report said.

"Since an animal died, the training was not of sufficient frequency to remind the people to thoroughly look for animals before having the cages washed," the report said. "This is important for the health and safety of all the animals."

The company said several human errors led to the animal's death. As a result of the laboratory's investigation, five additional preventive measures were added to the standard operating procedures to enhance communication among workers during the cage changeover. Cameras in the dirty cage staging area were added and practices were updated at all Charles River sites, the company said.

"Providing humane and high quality care is a priority for Charles River," the company statement said. "Our work is an essential component of the research that has led to new discoveries and has played a vital role in countless medical advances for humans as well as animals."

Source