PETA Crashes Columbia University Events In London

Caged ‘Monkeys’ Do ‘Time’ for Primates in Prestigious US School’s Labs


For Immediate Release:
21 June 2004


Contact:
Andrew Butler 020 7357 9229, ext 230
Dawn Carr 020 7357 9229, ext 224


London – Wearing prison garb and monkey masks, PETA members will illustrate the misery of animals who are mutilated and killed in experiments in Columbia University’s laboratories by cramming themselves into cages, while other activists hold signs depicting one of the baboons tortured and killed in experiments at the American ‘Ivy League’ school and reading, ‘He Knew the Real Columbia. It’s Time You Did, Too!’ The protests will take place outside events marking Columbia’s 250th anniversary:


Date:   Monday, 21 June
Time:   6-9:30 pm
Place:  The British Museum, Great Russell Street (main entrance), WC1


Date:   Tuesday, 22 June
Time:   7-10 am
Place:  London Business School, Park Road (Plowden Reception), NW1


PETA US conducted an investigation into Columbia’s labs after a veterinarian blew the whistle on animal abuse that she had witnessed there. Although the school has suspended one useless experiment – in which baboons’ left eyes were cut out and clamps were inserted through the empty sockets in order to cut off the blood supply to the animals’ brains and induce strokes – PETA is demanding a permanent end to it and two other experiments.


One of these experiments involves the insertion of metal pipes into the skulls of rhesus monkeys to induce stress, while the other involves cutting into foetuses in the wombs of nicotine-addicted baboons, despite the fact that nicotine’s effects on developing babies are already well known. Records show that animals are commonly neglected after surgery and are often denied veterinary care and painkillers. One baboon used in a nicotine experiment had lost 40 per cent of her body weight, and her severe bone infection went untreated. Many animals are simply left in their cages to die.


‘Highly social primates sentenced to life in solitary confinement are doing hard time at Columbia University’, says Campaign Coordinator Andrew Butler. ‘We want Columbia to “pardon” these innocent animals and end these crude experiments now.’


PETA US has protested at Columbia alumni events across North America, from Seattle to Stamford and from Toronto to Bonita Springs, and will, together with PETA Europe, continue to protest, following Columbia representatives around the world, until Columbia ends the three experiments. For more information, please visit PETA US’s Web site ColumbiaCruelty.com.


Video footage of animals inside Columbia’s laboratories is available.


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