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In Just One Week, Group Exposes Illegal Abuse at Three University Labs

October 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment


The News

In the past week,  the organization Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) has uncovered egregious acts of violence against animals by lab workers at three different universities. In all three cases, SAEN has filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking for penalties and/or for the studies to be terminated.

SAEN animal testing

Here’s what SAEN’s uncovered by combing through records:

At The University of South Florida (USF), lab workers deprived monkeys of water, leading to at least one death.

At Oregon Health & Science Univsersity (OHSU), an animal caretaker was exposed for repeatedly punching a pig in her face, drawing blood. Within a week of her arrival, the pig was killed in a “terminal procedure.”

Protesters block OHSU animal research site in 2010 (photo: Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian)

Protesters block OHSU animal research site in 2010 (photo: Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian)

At Washington University in St. Louis, a lab technician with “a history of rough handling of animals” was exposed for punching a dog with “a closed fist.”

After a busy week exposing the lab abuse and filing complaints, SAEN’s Executive Director Michael Budkie reflected on the individuals for whom he is fighting: “As if being caged in a lab and subjected to painful experiments isn’t bad enough, these animals are often victims of gratuitous abuse — abuse that is rarely exposed because of the extreme measures taken to hide the truth. But SAEN will continue to use all tools available to us to shine a spotlight on these abusive facilities until they’re shut down for good.”

SAEN's recent victories

SAEN’s recent victories

As expected, all three of the universities issued statements claiming that they “place a high priority on the proper care and treatment of research animals” and that “mistreatment of any research animal is not tolerated.”

Your Turn

In 2012, In Defense of Animals (IDA), another organization that works to end laboratory abuses, released the findings of a two year undercover investigation at OHSU. Here’s what they exposed then is consistent with the abuses that continue today:

Please visit www.SAENonline.org to learn more about these incidents and find out what small steps you can take to be a voice for animals who are held captive and used in painful, unethical, redundant and unnecessary laboratory experiments.


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Animal Rights Group Pressures USDA to Fine MIT after Death of Lab Rabbit

June 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment


The News

Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) is calling for the USDA to fine MIT after a lab worker cleaned a cage without removing a rabbit inside of it. In December, the USDA fined Harvard Medical School $24,000 after finding repeated animal welfare violations that resulted in the deaths of four monkeys since 2011.

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News & Opinion

What right do we have imprisoning, experimenting on and killing animals in laboratories? These animals didn’t choose to sacrifice their freedom, and they didn’t voluntarily donate their bodies. They don’t belong to us. To make matters worse, we treat them like inanimate objects in labs — storing them in small cages, depriving them of socialization and the outdoors and cutting them open with no painkillers. The irony is that using animals in research is unreliable and outdated. It continues because it’s a money-making enterprise. For more information and to see how you can help, please visit Stop Animal Experimentation Now.


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Monkey Import Company Seeks Restraining Order Against Activists

April 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment


The News

Worldwide Primates, a Miami-based company that imports monkeys for lab experiments, is seeking a restraining order against members of an anti-vivisection group called Smash on the grounds that their tactics go beyond what is protected by free speech. According to the Miami Herald, the company claims that Smash members ‘intimidate, stalk and terrorize” the company and says that “Employees’ identities, photos, home addresses and even divorce records have been plastered online. Bullhorn-wielding protesters frequently rally outside private homes owned by employees, hiding in bushes, trespassing on properties and even pelting cars with rocks.” Smash’s leader, Gary Serignese, defends the groups actions on behalf of the monkeys, stating that “every step of the way is a brutal, traumatizing thing for these really sensitive animals.”

At the Miami Beach home of an officer of Worldwide Primates

At the Miami Beach home of an officer of Worldwide Primates

News & Opinion

Some people might think targeting vivisectors at their homes crosses the line, but I think it’s justified if it discourages some researchers from torturing animals in their experiments. At the very least, the home demos hold them accountable. In my opinion, the extreme emotional and physical pain endured by the animals is far greater than the inconvenience to the abusers of having protesters on the sidewalk. To see how you can help end animal testing, please visit Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN).


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