Few resolutions have appeared in recent years about animal welfare concerns outside the industrial food system, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in 2023 is again raising concerns about laboratory animals. Two are about nonhuman primates and another about animals used in car crash tests.
ILLEGALLY CAPTURED PRIMATES USED IN ANIMAL TESTING POSE HEALTH AND INVESTOR RISKS
ALKA CHANDNA, PHD
Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Cases at PETA
Animal testing behemoth Charles River Laboratories is one of the largest importers of monkeys into the U.S., each year bringing in thousands of monkeys – mostly long-tailed macaques – from Southeast Asia and Mauritius. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified long-tailed macaques as “endangered,” identifying the U.S. experimentation industry as a major driver pushing these monkeys toward extinction.
Primates: At Charles River Laboratories, the proposal asks for annual report
on the species, country of origin (including wild-caught or captive-bred, omitting proprietary information), and numbers of nonhuman primates imported by the company into the U.S.; the species and numbers of nonhuman primates transported within the country; and measures the company is taking to mitigate its impact on dwindling populations in nature.
The core concern at Laboratory Corp. of America is similar, seeking a report annually “on the species and number of nonhuman primates transported by the Company within the U.S. and measures the company is taking to mitigate public health risks.” PETA argues that nonhuman primates destined for laboratory research are imported and transported with inadequate veterinary care and it says they also can harbor infectious diseases that may harm human health. In addition to the domestic health concerns, PETA points to endangered species concerns and cruelty in the animal procurement trade.
SEC action—Laboratory Corp. of America is arguing at the SEC this is an ordinary business concern since it would micromanage and does not raise a significant social issue; it and Charles River also say their current reports make the proposals moot. The SEC has yet to respond.
Car crash tests: At Ford Motor, PETA points to a 2017 study funded by the company that used about two dozen dead pigs to simulate the impacts of car crashes on humans. PETA says the experiment is contrary to the company’s current policies, while noting it makes an exception if there is no alternative to animals. It also mentions a publicity campaign against Ford on the subject. The resolution calls for an annual report “to protect our Company’s reputation, promote transparency, and minimize the use of animals in experiments,” and says it should report on “the number and species of animals used and/or euthanized in testing conducted, funded, and/or commissioned by our Company, when such tests are not explicitly required by law.”