Thursday June 4, 2009, 12:34 pm
For Immediate Release: 01/06/09 – By: BUAV
International pressure mounts on Puerto Rico to stop monkey breeding farm

Animal protection organizations across the world have launched a campaign calling on the government of Puerto Rico to stop the construction of a major monkey farm following reports that the monkeys will be supplied to the international research industry; in particular the USA. It is understood that the farm in Guayama City will be established using macaques (Macaca fascicularis) from the island of Mauritius.

The groups including the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) the IPPL (International Primate Protection League), and PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) believe that such a proposal is highly controversial and a major step backwards at a time when the ethical and scientific use of nonhuman primates in research is being challenged internationally by scientists as well as others.

Primates are highly intelligent, social animals with complex behavioral and psychological needs which cannot be met in captivity. They should, therefore, be left in the wild. The cruelty and suffering involved in the international trade in primates for research has been well documented; in particular, the injuries and mortalities involved in the capture of monkeys from the wild and the stress and suffering involved in their confinement in captivity.

The USA is the world's largest user of primates in research and there has been a significant increase in the imports of long-tailed macaques in recent years from around 17,000 in 2004 to over 26,000 in 2008. Over 4,500 of these were imported from Mauritius. The common fate of many primates in the research industry is to be used in toxicity testing which involves the forced ingestion, inhalation or injection of potentially lethal and poisonous chemicals. After sometimes years of this type of abuse, the animals are then killed.

There are also concerns that these monkeys may be destined for federal programs on chemical and biological warfare. In the past, the government of India banned the export of rhesus macaques after learning of the radiation experiments that they were being subjected to in the USA. It is hoped that the government of Puerto Rico will stop the construction of the farm once they hear of the likely fate of the monkeys being bred on their land.

Comment from IPPL, PCRM and BUAV:

"At a time when the ethics regarding the use of primates in research is being raised internationally, it is disheartening to learn that Puerto Rico is planning to allow itself to become a major player in the supply of primates for research. Such a move will not only result in the suffering of thousands of monkeys, it will also have a negative and detrimental impact on Puerto Rico's image abroad. We shall be calling on people throughout the world to write letters of protest to the Puerto Rican authorities. We urge the people of Puerto Rico to reject these proposals and refuse to allow their land to become associated with the cruelty and suffering inherent in the trade in primates for research."

Thursday June 4, 2009, 12:35 pm
TAKE ACTION!!!!!

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PRIMATE BREEDING
FACILITY IN PUERTO RICO

Please support the international campaign to stop the building of a primate
breeding facility in Guayama City in Puerto Rico. There is already local
opposition to this construction and we want to offer our support by
launching an international effort to stop Puerto Rico from becoming a major
player in the cruel trade in primates for research. We understand that the
project is being led by Bioculture, a primate supply company from Mauritius
that ships long-tailed macaques around the world to be used in research

Such a proposal is highly controversial and is a major step backwards at a
time when the ethical and scientific use of nonhuman primates in research is
being challenged internationally by scientists as well as others.

Primates are highly intelligent, social animals with complex behavioral and
psychological needs. The cruelty and suffering involved in the international
trade in primates for research has been well documented; in particular, the
injuries and mortalities involved in the capture of monkeys from the wild
and the stress and suffering involved in their confinement in captivity. The
common fate of many primates in the research industry is to be used in
toxicity testing which involves the forced ingestion, inhalation or
injection of potentially lethal and poisonous chemicals

Please help by writing to the following people calling on them to dissociate
Puerto Rico from the suffering and cruelty inherent in the trade in primates
for research. If the construction is allowed to go ahead then this will not
only result in the suffering of thousands of monkeys, it will also have a
negative and detrimental impact on Puerto Rico’s image abroad.

Hon. Glorimari Jaime
Municipio Autonomo de Guayama
Oficina de Plan de Orden Territorial
P.O. Box 360.
Guayama
Puerto Rico 00785-0360
Congressman Pedro Pierluisi
1218 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Fax: (202) 225-2154
E-mail: PR00-WYR@housemail.house.gov


SAMPLE LETTER:
(if you have a time please write your own letter)
I am writing to express my concern over recent reports that there are plans to build a primate breeding and supply facility in Guayama City. I understand that the project is being led by a company called Bioculture from Mauritius and that the monkeys, long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), will be imported from Mauritius. These monkeys and/or their offspring will be shipped overseas to be used in research.

Such a proposal is a major step backwards at a time when the ethical and scientific use of nonhuman primates in research is being challenged internationally by scientists as well as others.

Primates are highly intelligent, social animals with complex behavioral and psychological needs. Their use in research raises serious ethical and scientific questions. Perhaps you are unaware of the common fate of primates in the research industry. These animals are likely to be subjected to pain and suffering, sometimes extreme, in the research laboratories to which they are shipped. For example, many of them will be used in toxicity testing which involves the forced ingestion, inhalation or injection of poisonous chemicals. After sometimes years of this type of abuse, the animals are then killed. Although there is controversy about this, many scientists agree that this type of testing and killing of these primates is unnecessary scientifically and is morally unacceptable.

At a time when the ethics regarding the use of primates in research is being raised internationally, it is disheartening to learn that Puerto Rico is planning to allow itself to become a major player in the supply of primates for research. Such a move will not only result in the suffering of thousands of monkeys, it will also have a negative and detrimental impact on Puerto Rico’s image abroad.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Thursday June 4, 2009, 1:30 pm
On it's way
Thanks Joanna

Thursday June 4, 2009, 1:35 pm
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification. Delivery to the following recipients failed. pr00-wyr@housemail.house.gov

Thursday June 4, 2009, 2:45 pm
Sent the email. So far it has not bounced back. Joana, thank you for all you do for the animals.

Thursday June 4, 2009, 2:50 pm
Mine also hasn't bounced - alternative email is: case.work@mail.house.gov
and Pedro Pierluisi's site:
http://pierluisi.house.gov/home.html
I have a problem with finding any info about:
Hon. Glorimari Jaime
Municipio Autonomo de Guayama
Oficina de Plan de Orden Territorial
P.O. Box 360.
Guayama
Puerto Rico 00785-0360

no email address, no web...
if anybody knows anything... please let us know

Thursday June 4, 2009, 3:12 pm
From Pedro Pierluisi's site:

Office Information

My staff and I are here to serve the residents of Puerto Rico.

We can be reached at the following offices:
District of Columbia Office

1218 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2615
Fax: (202) 225-2154
Puerto Rico District Office

250 Calle Fortaleza
Old San Juan, PR 00901
Phone: (787) 723-6333
Fax: (787) 729-7738
Toll-free Contact

1 (866) 266-6678

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for Municipality of Guayama try this address:

pfgma@coqui.net

Thursday June 4, 2009, 6:49 pm
Noted and emails sent. Thanks Joanna.

Thursday June 4, 2009, 8:36 pm
I will totally write, email and whatever else can be done! This MUST STOP!!! Thanks for sending Joanna.

Thursday June 4, 2009, 11:44 pm
TY, Joanna, I'll do it again tomorrow as it cannot be delivered...

Friday June 5, 2009, 12:17 am
I will write letter gets more notice

Friday June 5, 2009, 12:43 am
noted and will signe

Friday June 5, 2009, 2:00 am
Noted & fixing to send e-mail. Thanks

Friday June 5, 2009, 2:10 am
TY
Mine emails were delivered to all of the addresses (3), please send to the three (1 and 2 are addresses of the same office):
PR00-WYR@housemail.house.gov
case.work@mail.house.gov
pfgma@coqui.net

Friday June 5, 2009, 2:22 am
Emails sent.Thank you Joanna

Friday June 5, 2009, 4:15 am
Emails sent to alternate addy, and story noted. Thank you Joanna.

Friday June 5, 2009, 4:40 am
Emails sent, fingers crossed........thanks, Joanna.

Friday June 5, 2009, 6:00 am
I have sent emails, thanks Joanna

Friday June 5, 2009, 9:47 am
Thankyou Joanna. My emails sent.

Saturday June 6, 2009, 12:16 am
THIS IS THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS TO SEND EMAILS TO THE MAYOR OF GUAYAMA, the Alcaldesa (Alcaldesa means female Mayor in Spanish), Ms. Glorimari Jaime:

municipiodeguayama@hotmail.com

You can refer to her as Honorable Alcaldesa Glorimari Jaime Rodríguez (her complete surname) in the body of your email.

If you already sent your email to the other noted address for her, please resend it again to this correct address. The emails to this account are opened by her Executive Assistant.


municipiodeguayama@hotmail.com


Thank you all for your concern and caring enough to take the time and energy to send emails.

This is an uphill battle for us activists here in Puerto Rico.

Saturday June 6, 2009, 12:19 am
the other 2 email addresses as given were

PR00-WYR@housemail.house.gov
case.work@mail.house.gov

Those are both for PR's Congressman, Pedro Pierluisi.

SO all the 3 addresses now should be as follows:

PR00-WYR@housemail.house.gov
case.work@mail.house.gov
municipiodeguayama@hotmail.com


Thanks again!

Saturday June 6, 2009, 2:03 am
Thank you Glen very much - I'll send and crosspost the address ASAP!!


Today I got messages that delivery to PR00-WYR@housemail.house.gov has been delayed (The recipient server did not accept our requests to connect.) I'll be trying to resend - if it will be delivered I let you know

Saturday June 6, 2009, 11:24 am
Noted with disgust and will take action too.
Thanks Joanna

Monday June 8, 2009, 12:33 pm
3 emails sent. Thank you, Joanna.

Friday June 12, 2009, 9:01 am
PETA NOW HAS AN ALERT FOR THIS ISSUE, which will go to the staff of the Governor, Luis Fortuno.

Please do the alert at
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2259

or use the short URL to get to the same place easier:
http://tinyurl.com/lo4y7p


(you can copy and paste those links!)

thank you!!!!

Saturday June 20, 2009, 8:01 am
We now have an "expert statement" regarding the issue of the proposed Guayama monkey facility, from Dr. Nedim Buyukmichi, V.M.D.. Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, he is also a Veterinary Consultant for the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. It is a 7 page PDF file entitled "Puerto Rico letter on nonhuman primates in research". If anyone would like a copy, email me at gvusamail on gmail com and let me know your regular email address, and I can send it to you!

Thanks to everyone for doing the various action alerts regarding this issue, etc. We will be having a press conference here in San Juan PR regarding this issue later this week, I will let everyone know the details as soon as it is all finalized. The press conference should be on Friday morning at 10am (June 26th), somewhere in San Juan, but will let you all know for sure.

thanks!

Glen Venezio

Saturday June 20, 2009, 8:08 am
We now have an "expert statement" regarding the issue of the proposed Guayama monkey facility, from Dr. Nedim Buyukmichi, V.M.D.. Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, he is also a Veterinary Consultant for the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. It is a 7 page PDF file entitled "Puerto Rico letter on nonhuman primates in research". If anyone would like a copy, write me at gvusamail