MADISON, WI – The University of Wisconsin has been cited by federal regulators in the death of one monkey, injury of another and multiple botched procedures following two complaints filed by a national research watchdog.

SAEN, a non-profit Ohio-based non-governmental watchdog that monitors U.S. research facilities for illegal behavior and animal abuse, has focused on the multiple serious violations of federal law by University of Wisconsin, Madison.

In a new federal complaint filed with Dr. Robert Gibbens, Director, Animal Welfare Operations, USDA/APHIS/AC, SAEN is urging the maximum penalty against the UW for breaking federal law.

SAEN’s latest federal complaint against the University of Wisconsin, Madison (which contains the April 5, 2022 inspection report), is available at: fhttps://saenonline.org/news-media-news-2022/University-of-Wisconsin-Federal-Complaint-8-4-22.html

This latest communication with the USDA references both earlier complaints which led to the more serious violations against the UW, SAEN explained.

In April 5 inspection, whose release was delayed for three months (likely by a university appeal of the inspection), the University of Wisconsin is cited for five separate incidents under regulations for proper animal handling.

One of the incidents involved an injury to a monkey.  This is precisely the same code section for the majority of the violations that were the basis of the federal fine paid by the university in 2020, as well as an earlier fine in 2014.

SAEN said the April 5 USDA inspection also cited the university for a CRITICAL violation of housing/facilities regulations for a defective enrichment device that led to the death of a monkey.

Both the monkey death, which is the basis of the CRITICAL housing/facilities violation, as well as the animal handling violation involving the monkey injury, were the subjects of earlier complaints filed by SAEN.

“I must emphasize this documents the University of Wisconsin, Madison has been violating precisely the same regulation dating back to at least 2012, a full decade.  Steps previously taken by the USDA/APHIS/AC to end the violations have been ineffective,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., co-founder, SAEN, adding, “The maximum penalty MUST be invoked — $10,000 per infraction/per animal.”

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