Published time: December 23, 2014 17:58
Reuters/Jose Cabezas
Thirteen dead monkeys at a Texas lab have led to the filing of a complaint with federal regulators and the opening of a probe that could end with the research facility facing hefty fines or more.
Two macaques succumbed to hyperthermia in an overheated animal housing room in September due to a faulty thermostat inside the Alice, TX lab run by Covance Research Products, a United States Department of Agriculture inspection report revealed. Eleven more animals died roughly one month later, due to a failure with the thermostat’s override switch.
The Associated Press first reported on Monday this week that a spokesperson for the USDA said the agency is considering taking action against Covance, a drug development services company that conducts pharmaceutical testing on animals.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now, an Ohio-based animal rights group, has filed a complaint with the USDA asking for fines to be lobbied at Covance. Feds could decide to suspend the lab or shut it down entirely, pending the agency’s decision.
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