A wild Rhesus Macaque in IndiaWIKIMEDIA, J.M. GARGHarvard Medical School will have to pay a $24,036 fine violations of the Animal Welfare Act involving research primates at its New England Primate Research Center in Southborough, MA. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) fined the school after a lengthy investigation of 11 violations that occurred between February 2011 and July 2012. In some cases, monkeys had to be euthanized after becoming dehydrated when employees of the research center failed to notice faulty watering devices or simply forgot to include water bottles in animals’ cages. One macaque died in April 2012 when it became entangled in a chain within its enclosure.

“The leadership of the school cares deeply about upholding exemplary standards of care,” read a statement from Harvard Medical School, released Wednesday (December 18).

Fining animal care facilities is a relatively rare enforcement tool used by the USDA, but...

Harvard announced in April that it would be shuttering the New England Primate Research Center—which houses approximately 2,000 monkeys—by 2015, claiming financial reasons led to the decision.

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Join for free todayAlready a member?Login Here