NASA has been accused of “squandering and misbehaving” after killing 27 monkeys in one day.
Animal rights activists have discovered that no primates were spared euthanasia at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, and 27 were killed on February 2, 2019.
Growth activists for animals discovered the death after submitting a request for freedom of information to the American space agency, and NASA admitted that they justified the killings of the two colonies because they “developed health problems due to old age”.
The discovery caused outrage, reports the Daily Star.
John Gluck, an animal ethics expert at the University of New Mexico, said the monkeys “were obviously not considered worthy of a chance to live in a shelter. Not even an attempt? Procrastination instead of an expression of simple decency. Shame on those responsible.”
What is your opinion? Have your say in the comments section
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Guardian reports that Kathleen Rice, a representative of the American house, sent Jim Jim Bridenstine, a NASA administrator, asking for an explanation for the death.
Rice told the Guardian: “I’m looking forward to Administrator Bridenstine’s explanation of why these animals were forced to squander in captivity and be euthanized, rather than live their lives in a shelter.”
Rise for Animals said NASA’s response to their request indicated two justifications for this mass killing of the two colonies.
A larger colony of 21 monkeys was killed because: “This is an elderly Parkinson’s colony that was never used in the research, but was maintained as long as possible while the dormant closed colony due to health problems due to age led to the decision to humanely euthanize.”
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Another, a smaller colony of six individuals, was killed because: “This was an aging colony that had not been used in research for many years, but was maintained as long as possible as a dormant closed colony that had health problems due to age. to be humanely euthanized. “
Rise for Animals says NASA’s communications office, in response to its request for open records, confirmed that no primates were spared euthanasia, and was told: “According to the IACUC, there were no primate departures from the Ames Research Center.”
The group has now contacted NASA’s inspector general asking them to investigate the “waste and misconduct” that occurred at the Ames Research Center.
Stephanie Solis, CEO of LifeSource Biomedical, said the primates were handed over to the lab “a few years ago” after their refuge could not be found due to age and poor health.
She said: “We have agreed to accept the animals, acting as a refuge and providing all the care at their own expense, until their advanced age and impaired health result in a decision on humane euthanasia to avoid a poor quality of life.”
Solis said no research had been conducted on the primates while they were in Ames and that they were provided with a “good residual quality of life”.
A NASA spokesman said: “NASA has no primates other than people at NASA or NASA-funded facilities.”