For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2007

Contact:
Justin Goodman 757-622-7382

Records obtained by PETA show that Waitzman had received more than $1.7 million in federal funds to conduct his experiments, in which he bolted restraint devices to monkeys' heads, drilled holes in their skulls, attached electrodes to their brains, and implanted small wire coils in their eyeballs. In June 2007, the USDA levied a $5,532 fine against UCHC, which included fines for four violations in Waitzman's laboratory, including an incident in which a monkey was handled so roughly that he was choked with a chain-link collar until his eyes bled.

PETA has also learned that between November 2005 and January 2007, the USDA identified more than 20 animal welfare violations in Waitzman's laboratory, including causing unnecessary trauma and physical harm to animals, failure to give animals sufficient sedatives for invasive procedures, and failure to painlessly euthanize animals in severe and chronic distress. Reports also indicated that employees were not adequately qualified and trained to handle primates.

"David Waitzman recklessly performed unauthorized procedures and caused these monkeys unimaginable trauma, resulting in suffering and death," says PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. "We're calling on the NEI to demand the return of the taxpayers' money that this experimenter spent violating federal law."

Following a complaint from PETA, the NEI has already notified the University of Washington, Seattle, that some grant money will have to be returned because an experimenter conducting similar studies performed at least 19 unauthorized surgeries on monkeys. For more information, please visit PETA's Web site StopAnimalTests.com.