Animal rights organization PETA has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to launch an immediate investigation. The call follows a whistleblower report about the alleged air transport of over 500 endangered long-tailed macaques.
The primates, destined for Charles River Laboratories, allegedly arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
The informant stated that the monkeys were shipped in poor conditions after suffering a long 26-hour flight from Vietnam on SkyTaxi, a Polish charter airline.
Whistleblowers claim that the monkeys were confined in leaky, foul smelling crates and transported in an improperly sanitized cargo hold. The situation raises serious concerns about animal welfare and public health risks.
According to records, the same SkyTaxi aircraft had recently carried monkeys from Mauritius. This is a location known for frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, in monkey breeding facilities.
Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primate scientist with PETA, strongly criticized Charles River Laboratories for its choice of air transport provider.
“Charles River Laboratory is scraping the bottom of the barrel by using SkyTaxi to fly monkeys from facilities in Vietnam and Mauritius where tuberculosis and other deadly pathogens continue to circulate,” she stated.
Dr. Jones-Engel emphasized the “inevitable and dangerous consequences” of transporting primates under such conditions. She pointed out the potential risk of pathogen spread through bodily fluids leaking into cargo planes.
The Controversy Surrounding SkyTaxi
SkyTaxi, a relatively small Polish charter airline, has come under increasing scrutiny for its role in animal transportation.
The airline has become a go-to option for research laboratories as most major airlines now refuse to transport primates destined for research facilities.
However, this has led to PETA’s concerns about the airline’s capacity to handle such specialized cargo safely and humanely.
Recent incidents have about the air operator’s compliance with animal welfare standards.
- An ongoing investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service into a previous shipment of long-tailed macaques from Mauritius to Charles River Laboratories in Houston.
- Three violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act last month during a shipment of dogs and cats from Afghanistan to Virginia. Inspection reports revealed inadequate ventilation in animal crates and insufficient access to food and water for several animals.
- Reports of poorly constructed crates, with one dog crate allegedly falling apart as workers attempted to move it.
Broader Implications
The controversy extends beyond SkyTaxi to implicate Charles River Laboratories. The receival company is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for potential violations of the Endangered Species and Lacey acts.
The use of smaller, less scrutinized air operators appears to be a consequence of major airlines’ refusal to participate in the air transport of laboratory animals.
This situation highlights the complex ethical and logistical challenges surrounding animal research and transportation.
As scrutiny intensifies, it’s clear that stricter regulations and oversight may be necessary to ensure the humane treatment of animals in transit, regardless of their final destination.
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