The Committee for Research Accountability (CRA), a project of In Defense of Animals (www.idausa.org), continues to call upon the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center (CU) to release and retire ALL monkeys from their facility. The total number of primates at CU is approximately 51 (previously 34). CU recently agreed to release 11 to a sanctuary.
For 17 years, CU researcher Mark Laudenslager subjected macaque monkeys to maternal separation experiments to analyze the effects of separating infants from their mothers. One can only imagine the terror and confusion of the mother when her baby was torn from her. After being taken from their mothers, babies can experience severe depression, anxiety, loneliness, fear and lifelong psychological consequences.
These experiments were widely known and condemned by many because they were considered to be archaic, unnecessary and of questionable applicability to human health. After many years of public scrutiny, this study ended in October 2003. At that time, CRA approached CU to ask for the retirement of the monkeys to a sanctuary. CU’s Vice-Chancellor of Research John Sladek responded by saying it would cost $10,000 to $15,000 per monkey for their release.
Laudenslager soon devised yet another ridiculous idea for how to use/abuse monkeys. Since July 2004 he has been “working” to determine if poor mothering in monkeys is a contributing factor to alcohol abuse in adolescent monkeys. For the first year alone, this study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, cost taxpayers nearly $800,000.
Now, because of negative press attention and pressure from citizens, CU has decided to rid themselves of the monkeys. They are considering giving them, free of charge, to Wake Forest University (WFU) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. However, Laudenslager expects to continue the alcohol project. He will direct the study from CU’s Health Sciences Center in Denver, but the monkeys will be housed 2,000 miles away in North Carolina. In that way, CU hopes to silence our voices, while continuing this wasteful study. This charade is simply geography and will accomplish nothing of value. In fact, there will now be additional costs for Laudenslager to travel back and forth to WFU.
Based on WFU documentation, after the alcohol study is completed, the monkeys will then be subjected to additional experiments at WFU or sold to other facilities for their “use”. The monkeys have no say in their future.
Newspapers have quoted CU officials talking about the need for openness and transparency at the university. However, once again they are trying to dodge the real issue.
WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW: Please send an email to CU (email addresses are below) to ask them to 1) terminate Laudenslager’s embarrassing project, and 2) allow the monkeys to be retired to sanctuaries with funding from CU. It is time institutions such as the University of Colorado learn they cannot continue to “use” sentient beings, then throw them out like leftover cabbage.
We ask that you also email Wake Forest University officials (email addresses are also below) and urge them to refuse the offer of free monkeys, and thereby save themselves the unwelcome attention of activists and media which will follow the monkeys.
Please help us stop the violence!
Click here to contribute to the FreeTheCU34 campaign or In Defense of Animals' Ad Fund
IDA’s shocking television advertisement features world-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and animal ambassador, Dr. Jane Goodall, condemning the horrors of primate research. It is currently being viewed on Raleigh-Durham and Winston-Salem, North Carolin television stations. The ad is an important tool in our fight to prevent the transfer of the colony of monkeys to Wake Forest. Please consider making a donation today to help IDA air more ads --100% of your contribution will be used to buy air time on TV stations.
Contact CU Officials
Please read the FEBRUARY 2006 UPDATES, then contact CU President HANK BROWN, Health Sciences Chancellor GREGORY STIEGMANN and the CU REGENTS to respectfully ask for:
1. THE IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF MARK LAUDENSLAGER'S ALCOHOL STUDY
2. THE RELEASE/RETIREMENT OF ALL 48 MONKEYS
3. CU'S FUNDING OF THE SANCTUARIES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE MONKEYS
CU Officials' Email Addresses
CU Officials' Phone
President Brown 303-492-6201
Chancellor Stiegmann 303-315-7682
Regents Secretary 303-492-8203
Please also contact Wake Forest University officials...
To respectfully ask that they reconsider and refuse the offer of free primates from the University of Colorado.
Richard Dean, President/CEO Health Sciences
rdean@wfubmc.edu336-716-7425
William Applegate, Sr. VP Health Sciences/Dean of School of Medicine
wapplega@wfubmc.edu
336-716-5026
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