Humane Society Calls for Refuge for 9 Chimps

These chimps are currently at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s New Iberia Research Center. This is the same place that was nailed by a Humane Society undercover investigation. Videos showed mistreatment of the lab animals.

The Humane Society wants 9 chimps that are not being "used" as part of experiments to be released to a sanctuary. I just love the language used by the Research Center's spokesperson.

{Dr. Jeff Rowell, NIRC director, in an e-mail Wednesday} "said the nine remaining animals are being housed as a family group at the center with access to indoor-outdoor caging.

“The animals have not been and are not currently being accessed for biomedical research,” Rowell said."

"Accessed?" Interesting. Let's make this as clinical as possible. It's irrelevant that these chimpanzees share 98.6 percent of our DNA. They may as well be centrifuges or test tubes to these people.

University of Louisiana Plays Defense on Primate Research

They are at least admitting there are problems with standard operating procedures at New Iberia Research Center. Officials claim to be taking steps to correct certain problems.

Maybe.

This web page also has a video with a tour of the facility, conducted by center staff.

New Iberia Inspection Documents Available

I found them here.

What the documents show

# A USDA inspection on Feb. 18 focusing on allegations by Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) found the center in compliance.

# A routine USDA inspection in September 2008 found the center in compliance.

# A May 23, 2007, USDA inspection revealed several problems with drainage and waste disposal operations, and peeling paint in primate housing areas.

# A 2006 inspection found no problems.

# USDA inspections dated July 19, 2005 and Dec. 7, 2004, found numerous problems.

Some History on the New Iberia Research Center

Here's some background on the New Iberia Research Center, target of the Humane Society investigation showing alleged chimpanzee abuse.

Jane Goodall Quote on New Iberia Research Center

“But in no lab that I have visited have I seen so many chimpanzees exhibit such intense fear. The screaming I heard when chimpanzees were being forced to move toward the dreaded needle in the squeeze cages was, for me, absolutely horrifying.”

- Dr. Jane Goodall responding to the Nightline special detailing the mistreatment of hundreds of chimpanzees and other primates at New Iberia Research Center.