Killed for being of the 'wrong size'
Piled high in buckets - the monkeys not needed for UK lab tests because they are the wrong size. The horrific slaughter has been uncovered in an investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV)
October 28, 2012
Dozens of dead monkeys lie piled high in buckets... all killed because they weren’t the right size for testing in British laboratories.
The animals were healthy and many could have been released back into the wild.
Instead they were given a lethal injection in the heart, dumped in bins and then incinerated.
The horrific slaughter has been uncovered in an investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).
It is taking place on the holiday island of Mauritius where monkeys are plucked from the wild then exported to UK firms, which pay up to £260 for each one they buy.
Around 125 monkeys are killed at a time because overseas laboratories only want those weighing less than 3.5kg. But farms in Mauritius have a surplus of those above that weight so they are simply being killed off.
Campaigners say the pictures were taken inside a farm operated by Noveprim Ltd, which runs breeding centres on the Indian Ocean island.
The company is 47 per cent owned by Covance UK, a research and vivisection organisation based in Harrogate, North Yorks.
Countries which import monkeys from Noveprim include the UK, Spain and the US.
Last year Noveprim director Bruno Julienne said the firm was considering a cull to respond to “economic conditions” but pledged it would be humane.
Campaigners believe a cull began at the beginning of the month and is set to continue until the end of November.
Yesterday Sarah Kite, of BUAV, said: “This is a cruel and senseless slaughter. It is unacceptable that monkeys are now simply discarded because they are of no further use. These monkeys should be released into the wild so that they can live out the rest of their lives freely. By importing monkeys from this company, the UK is perpetuating this appalling cruelty. We call on the UK Government to ban the import of primates from Mauritius immediately.”
Mauritius is the world’s second largest exporter of long-tailed macaques for research, selling up to 10,000 every year.
It was in September 2010 that a Sunday Mirror probe first revealed disturbing details about the trade there. It revealed shocking evidence of the cruelty involved in the trapping and breeding of wild monkeys.
Official figures show that in 2011, 518 monkeys were exported to the UK from Mauritius. In 2010, that increased to 1,059. Only the US bought more.
Thousands of live tests are carried out each year in UK labs. Tests include horrific experiments where the animals are pumped with drugs to see how long they survive.Three-quarters of the monkeys are used for toxicology tests on new drugs.
The rest are used in studies for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Aids.
Noveprim said they were investigating and would neither confirm or deny that the pictures were taken in one of their factories. Some animals were put down because they were diseased, a spokesman said.
Source
Dozens of dead monkeys lie piled high in buckets... all killed because they weren’t the right size for testing in British laboratories.
The animals were healthy and many could have been released back into the wild.
Instead they were given a lethal injection in the heart, dumped in bins and then incinerated.
The horrific slaughter has been uncovered in an investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).
It is taking place on the holiday island of Mauritius where monkeys are plucked from the wild then exported to UK firms, which pay up to £260 for each one they buy.
Around 125 monkeys are killed at a time because overseas laboratories only want those weighing less than 3.5kg. But farms in Mauritius have a surplus of those above that weight so they are simply being killed off.
Campaigners say the pictures were taken inside a farm operated by Noveprim Ltd, which runs breeding centres on the Indian Ocean island.
The company is 47 per cent owned by Covance UK, a research and vivisection organisation based in Harrogate, North Yorks.
Countries which import monkeys from Noveprim include the UK, Spain and the US.
Last year Noveprim director Bruno Julienne said the firm was considering a cull to respond to “economic conditions” but pledged it would be humane.
Campaigners believe a cull began at the beginning of the month and is set to continue until the end of November.
Yesterday Sarah Kite, of BUAV, said: “This is a cruel and senseless slaughter. It is unacceptable that monkeys are now simply discarded because they are of no further use. These monkeys should be released into the wild so that they can live out the rest of their lives freely. By importing monkeys from this company, the UK is perpetuating this appalling cruelty. We call on the UK Government to ban the import of primates from Mauritius immediately.”
Mauritius is the world’s second largest exporter of long-tailed macaques for research, selling up to 10,000 every year.
It was in September 2010 that a Sunday Mirror probe first revealed disturbing details about the trade there. It revealed shocking evidence of the cruelty involved in the trapping and breeding of wild monkeys.
Official figures show that in 2011, 518 monkeys were exported to the UK from Mauritius. In 2010, that increased to 1,059. Only the US bought more.
Thousands of live tests are carried out each year in UK labs. Tests include horrific experiments where the animals are pumped with drugs to see how long they survive.Three-quarters of the monkeys are used for toxicology tests on new drugs.
The rest are used in studies for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Aids.
Noveprim said they were investigating and would neither confirm or deny that the pictures were taken in one of their factories. Some animals were put down because they were diseased, a spokesman said.
Source
Animal Equality writes:
October 29, 2012 - A BUAV investigation has uncovered the appalling slaughter of hundreds of monkeys at the Noveprim primate breeding farm in Mauritius. Shocking images show discarded dead monkeys stacked in piles on the floor or dumped in bins like garbage. Other images show mutilated bodies in a skip awaiting incineration.
This is taking place on the holiday island of Mauritius where monkeys are plucked from the wild then exported to UK firms, which pay up to £260 for each one they buy. The barbaric slaughter is set to continue throughout October and November, allegedly because overseas laboratories are requesting primates weighing less than 3.5kg. The majority of monkeys being killed are adult males weighing over 4kg although the BUAV has learned that Noveprim is also killing pregnant females and baby monkeys because the farm no longer has a use for these animals. The killing of these highly sensitive, intelligent animals is totally unacceptable.
This is taking place on the holiday island of Mauritius where monkeys are plucked from the wild then exported to UK firms, which pay up to £260 for each one they buy. The barbaric slaughter is set to continue throughout October and November, allegedly because overseas laboratories are requesting primates weighing less than 3.5kg. The majority of monkeys being killed are adult males weighing over 4kg although the BUAV has learned that Noveprim is also killing pregnant females and baby monkeys because the farm no longer has a use for these animals. The killing of these highly sensitive, intelligent animals is totally unacceptable.
Noveprim is a major exporter of monkeys to the UK, Spain and the USA. The company is approved by the UK Home Office to supply monkeys to UK laboratories. The company is 47 per cent owned by Covance UK, a research and vivisection organisation based in Harrogate, North Yorks.
Countries which import monkeys from Noveprim include the UK, Spain and the US. Official figures show that in 2011, 518 monkeys were exported to the UK from Mauritius. In 2010, that increased to 1,059. Only the US bought more. Thousands of live tests are carried out each year in UK labs. Tests include horrific experiments where the animals are pumped with drugs to see how long they survive. Three-quarters of the monkeys are used for toxicology tests on new drugs.
Despite this slaughter, Noveprim continues to have traps for wild monkeys. BUAV is calling upon the Prime Minister of Mauritius to take immediate action to halt these killings and for the monkeys to be released back into the wild where they belong to live out the rest of their lives freely. They also demand the UK Government to ban the import of monkeys from Mauritius.
Sarah Kite, BUAV’s Director of Special Projects stated: "This is a cruel and senseless slaughter. It is unacceptable that monkeys who have been exploited for years are now simply discarded because they are of no further use to this company. These monkeys should be released into the wild so that they can live out the rest of their lives freely. By importing monkeys from this company, the UK is perpetuating this appalling cruelty. The BUAV calls on the UK Government to ban the import of primates from Mauritius immediately."
A major investigation carried out by the BUAV in September 2010 obtained shocking evidence of the cruelty and suffering involved in the trapping and breeding of the wild monkeys on the island.
Take action!
Help to stop the slaughter by writing to:
1. Write to the Prime Minister of Mauritius urging him to stop the slaughter:
Dr. The Honourable Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius,
New Treasury Building, Intendance Street,
Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius
Email: primeminister@mail.gov.mu
2. Write to Mauritius High Commission in the UK calling for the slaughter to stop:
His Excellency Mr Abhimanu Kundasamy,
Mauritius High Commission, 32-33 Elvaston Place,
London SW7 5NW.
Email: londonmhc@btinternet.com
Find the Mauritius Ambassador in your country.
3. Write to the UK Home Office calling for a ban on the import of monkeys from Mauritius:
Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State,
Home Office, Direct Communications Unit,
2 Marsham Street,
London SW1P 4DF
Email: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
