Monkey Found Dead at PPI
Primate Products, Inc. (PPI)—the disreputable company that imports monkeys from southeast Asia and Africa, warehouses them at its decrepit compound in Hendry County, Florida, and sells them to laboratories across the country for cruel and deadly experiments—is in the news again. And once again, it’s for the company’s failure to comply with minimal federal animal welfare regulations.
As reported by the Broward Palm Beach New Times, a monkey was found dead at PPI “trapped between an internal swinging gate and the post supporting it.” It is unclear whether the monkey died of suffocation, decapitation, or dehydration or whether the death was instantaneous or involved prolonged pain and distress.
This latest incident follows the release of horrifying footage captured by PETA during its eyewitness investigation into PPI, which prompted federal authorities to cite the facility for more than two dozen violations of animal welfare regulations related to inadequate veterinary care, neglect, violent handling, unsafe and unsanitary conditions, and failure to address monkeys’ psychological suffering effectively. A more in-depth U.S. Department of Agriculture investigation is ongoing.
Problems at PPI extend beyond animal welfare to public health concerns. Palm Beach New Times writes, “Recently, with the latest Zika outbreak in South Florida, there have been concerns that Primate Products will become a Zika incubator since primates are kept in outdoor cages and can also carry the virus. Infected monkeys have already been discovered in Zika-affected towns in Brazil.”
You Can Help Stop This!
Officials in Hendry County must do the right thing for animals and public health. Help us urge them to shut down PPI and the other massive monkey facilities in the county.
