USDA Cites Altasciences: PETA Statement

For Immediate Release:
March 21, 2022

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Please see the following statement from PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo regarding federal documents that reveal serious federal Animal Welfare Act violations at Altasciences:

The building signage has changed from SNBL to Altasciences, but inside, it’s the same hell for beagles and monkeys imprisoned in the company’s laboratories. According to a just-posted federal inspection report obtained by PETA, beagles yelped in pain after they were injected with a test substance that was found to be substantially more acidic than intended. Beagles used in another experiment developed “oral ulcerations, inappetence and lethargy which required veterinary intervention.” Four monkeys were observed to have extensive hair loss, indicative of extreme psychological distress. In one case, the monkey was missing hair over 75% of his body. There “were no medical or behavioral records” showing that these animals were being assessed or treated. The veterinary-care program for dogs in Altasciences’ laboratories was also found to be lacking. There was no plan for monitoring, assessing, or treating parasites in dogs and no schedule for monitoring dogs’ hair coat, skin, eyes, or teeth.

The new citations follow an equally troubling federal inspection from November 2021, in which inspectors documented a 7-month-old beagle puppy who was so thin that his ribs, lumbar vertebrae, and pelvic bones were easily visible. Photos of this beagle, obtained by PETA through a Freedom of Information Act request, suggest a war-torn scape—not a multinational that posted revenue exceeding $170 million last year.

For more information on PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.