Protesters against lab experimentation on primates marched from
the Federal Building to the UCLA Neuropsychology building and
through Westwood on Monday.
Participants in the protest said UCLA was targeted to advocate
against experiments using primates that occur on campus. The
university strongly refutes their accusations.
The protest was one of dozens of events scheduled to take place
this week in 20 cities nationwide. The events are a part of
National Primate Liberation Week.
Activists organized the events in response to an investigative
report released this week by a national non-profit research
organization called Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
The report detailed an increase in experiments using primates as
well as an increase in public funding for them.
Michael Budkie, the author of the SAEN report and organizer of
national SAEN events, said experiments at UCLA often use methods
such as restraining primates to chairs, making openings in their
skulls, and placing electrodes in their brains.
Budkie added that research often makes the subjects susceptible
to diseases such as meningitis.
He believes the awareness of students and faculty could help
change the university’s research policy of using animals.
“While some people at universities get paid to perform
experiments, I know that other scientists have higher ethical
standards,” he said.
According to a statement issued by UCLA, the university makes
every effort to minimize pain and discomfort to the animals. These
efforts include having campus veterinarians and trained animal-care
specialists monitor every animal-research project to ensure the
animals are treated humanely.
In addition, the university said animals are only used in
research when no other appropriate means is available and that
every animal-research project at UCLA must be approved by an
independent review committee.
The protesters believed otherwise, saying that research was
unnecessary and brutal.
They described themselves as independent activists who live in
Los Angeles and hope to raise public awareness.
Protester Dena Snedden, who grew up in the UCLA area and
attended UCLA Extension, said she was protesting to help bring UCLA
to the 21st century.
“It’s time that they explore and implement humane
medical research. The technology is there,” she said.
“The reason this is happening is to line certain
individuals’ pockets at the animals’ expense and the
public’s expense.”
But researchers denied the group’s allegations.
“The research I do wouldn’t be worth anything if the
animals weren’t socially and physically healthy. We maintain
the conditions to assure that that’s the case,” said
psychiatry and behavioral sciences Professor Lynn Fairbanks, one of
the professors named by the protesters as using primates in
research.
SAEN has also planned a candlelight vigil in Westwood on Friday
evening.