Thursday, December 5, 2019
AMPNews
A weekly newsletter from Americans for Medical Progress highlighting the latest
animal activism developments and significant science news for communicators and security professionals.

-- For internal use only, not for distribution--

Science Magazine Examines the Research Animal Adoptions Issue 
An in-depth article published earlier today by Science Magazine delves into the issue of research animal adoptions. It specifically focuses on the practice of retiring nonhuman primates (when possible) after they have completed their research protocols. The article contains a variety of viewpoints: researchers, the leader of a primate sanctuary and those opposed to animal studies. AMP Chair Cindy Buckmaster was also quoted in the article. She highlighted the many complex challenges of this issue. 

Science also highlighted legislation currently under consideration that would require all federal agencies to create policies to retire lab animals. This would result in serious issues because NIH awards are limited to research-related expenses and associated animal care costs. These funds do not support animal retirements. Animal rights groups are aware of this fact and in response, proposed federal requirements - without any additional funding - that adoption or retirement programs are put in place. This creates significant financial burdens that would undoubtably impede research. More information here . 

An excerpt from the story:

“Imagine you’re a 70-year-old human who knows everyone in your neighborhood, and then people pack you in a van and take you to a strange, new place where you don’t know anyone,” says Dettmer, the Yale primate researcher. “Even if it’s beautiful, being ripped away from everything you know can be devastating.” She points to an incident about 5 years ago, when 13 elderly research chimpanzees were transferred to a federal sanctuary in Louisiana. Within 2 years, nine had died. The sanctuary said the chimps were sick and elderly, but many people in the biomedical community blamed the stress of relocation.

Dettmer says the decision to retire chimpanzees to sanctuaries was a mistake, one she fears is being repeated with monkeys. Even older animals can be used in studies of the aging brain and body, she says. “There’s no such thing as a surplus monkey.”

She, Buckmaster, and others also say none of the pending retirement legislation is realistic—it offers no money for retirement and creates no federal sanctuary, as was done with chimps. To retire and care for just the few thousand monkeys in federal facilities would cost more than $400 million , according to Speaking of Research, an international organization that supports the use of animals in labs. And because only about a dozen U.S. sanctuaries now take monkeys, the sanctuary system doesn’t have space for even a fraction of them. 
     
The full article can be found here and we urge you to read it. The issue of research animal retirements will undoubtably remain a major topic of discussion in the months and years ahead. 
Local Ordinance Authored by Wisconsin Animal Rights Activists to Be Discussed Tonight
A family business being targeted by animal activists in and outside of the state of Wisconsin is facing its next major hurdle tonight. Tri-Valley Resources, LLC is a new research dog breeding business owned by a veterinarian and her husband in the small community of Spring Green. Throughout the public permitting process, the family has been heavily targeted by activists affiliated with the in-state group Dane4Dogs. Other national organizations, such as PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have also gotten involved. 

Tonight, the Spring Green Town Board is scheduled to discuss one of two local ordinances proposed and written by research opponents. The law claims “to promote health, safety and general welfare of dogs and the people around them” by severely restricting dog breeding in the region. If passed, the measure would: 
  • Limit a person from owning more than 25 adult dogs with intact sexual organs.
  • Require any person who owns more than ten adult dogs with intact sexual organs and kept in an enclosure for the majority of the day to provide each adult dog with constant, unfettered access to an outdoor run.

It’s clear the ordinance was carefully crafted to target Tri-Valley Resources by creating restrictions that make such a business unviable. It’s also clear the requirement of constant outdoor access was included because research opponents recognize that animals exposed to pathogens commonly found in the wild could not be considered for biological studies.  

According to tonight’s meeting agenda , several unrelated items will also be considered. Therefore, it’s unclear how much discussion will occur on the proposed kennel ordinance. Nor do we know whether the town board will take action tonight, defer its decision or otherwise. 

Americans for Medical Progress, members of our board and many of our colleagues have sent letters to the Spring Green town board to explain the critical role of animal studies - including research in canines. Several have also raised concerns about the dangerous precedent of creating laws such as this, that seek to disrupt biomedical progress.

We promise to keep you informed on this issue.  
PETA Enrolls Another Celebrity in Its Campaign Against Texas A&M University 
PETA’s several-year campaign against Texas A&M University has featured protests, social media campaigns, lawsuits and on-campus confrontations. The group has also convinced several celebrities to take part. So far, James Cromwell, Lily Tomlin, Bill Maher and Paul McCartney have lent their voices to the cause. Today Pamela Anderson added her name to that list. The former Baywatch star sent a letter to the Texas A&M President urging him to end the studies. 

Anderson has been criticized in the past for her opposition to animal research because she has also publicly shared extensive details about her past medical treatments for Hepatitis C. In 2016, she claimed she was cured of the disease after receiving the drug Sovaldi (sofosbuvir.) The drug works by inhibiting the hepatitis C NS5B protein and animals played a role in its development. In addition, like all other FDA-approved therapies, the drug underwent safety testing in animals before it was made available to the public. 

Other recent campaign actions by PETA include hiring a plane to fly a banner over one of Texas A&M’s recent football games. They’ve also announced plans to protest winter graduation ceremonies scheduled to take place next week. 
Direct Action Everywhere Launches Surveillance Program
The animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere made a name for itself by repeatedly trespassing and taking animals from farms and breeding facilities. By design, this strategy has resulted in numerous legal charges against those affiliated with the group combined with significant media attention. Now, DxE has announced an additional tactic that seeks to expand public participation while reducing concerns about legal risk for the involved activists. 

Late last month, DxE announced their “Frontline Surveillance” program where activists monitor their targets from adjacent public lands with cameras to document items that they feel can be used to generate legal complaints or news coverage. A video that announced the effort features images of protestors with long telephoto lenses aimed at farms and also drone footage. 

The group claims they have already documented numerous instances of animal cruelty. At this point, the program appears to be limited to the San Francisco area. We will be sure to make you aware of plans by DxE to expand the tactic to other regions.
Help Us Continue Important Services Like AMPNews and Urgent Alerts
We’ve received lots of great feedback about AMPNews and we hope it’s a publication that your institution appreciates and values. Many of your organizations also hear from AMP when urgent news emerges including newly announced protests and campaigns where your business or university will likely be targeted. In 2019 alone, we’ve sent out Approximately 1,400 alerts to various organizations. Our goal is to help ensure that you have the time and resources in order to respond effectively.

If this newsletter and our daily alerts are things that you value, please help support them with a financial gift to Americans for Medical Progress. Our fall fundraising campaign comes to a close at the end of the month (just 26 days away!) and we hope you will consider giving. It’s easy. Simply click here , send a check to the address below or give us a call at 202-624-8810 to contribute. 
 
Thank you!
Upcoming Animal Activism Events 
We have included Facebook links, when possible, with additional information. 
December 8
Kingston, New York 
Organized by NY Farm Animal Save

December 13
College Station, Texas 
Organized by PETA. 

December 21
Kingston, New York 
Organized by NY Farm Animal Save

May 29, 2020
Berkley, California

July 24 - 27, 2020
Taking Action for Animals
Washington, DC 
A conference organized by the Humane Society of the United States.  

August 22, 2020  
Miami, Florida
Ten Research Stories Worth Sharing
Americans for Medical Progress closely monitors the news media and other sources on a daily basis for breakthroughs involving animals. Please feel free to share these stories on your organizations' social media channels:

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Americans for Medical Progress