Mission: 47 Monkeys Died in a Colombian Laboratory—Help End the Horror
Update (January 16, 2025): The passing of monkey experimenter Manuel Elkin Patarroyo shouldn’t stop authorities from continuing their investigation into the apparent violations of animal welfare regulations at his decrepit laboratory in the Amazonas, where monkeys endured horrible deaths. Please take action below to urge the Colombian government to ban the abduction of monkeys for use in biomedical experiments.
Originally published on June 3, 2024:
PETA got records proving that 47 monkeys—most of them members of a now-endangered species—died in just 14 months as a result of abuse and neglect in a Colombian laboratory. 😱🐒 Please help prevent other monkeys from being ripped from their forest homes and used in pointless experiments by urging the Colombian gov to take immediate action!
What Happened at the Colombian Laboratory?
At a Colombian laboratory called Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia, experimenters used now-endangered monkeys in unapproved COVID-19 experiments. They also denied these animals veterinary care, leaving some to die painfully of tetanus or sepsis. 😭
Records show that 47 monkeys—12% of those caged there—died between March 2021 and May 2022 from causes including choking, heart attacks, “cannibalism,” “hypothermia,” “heat stress,” and a “severe hemorrhage.”
As if we needed more proof this laboratory was a hot mess, 19 monkeys escaped through openings in its walls and ceilings. 🤦♀️❓ Inspection records also show that some monkeys were underweight, had eye problems, had pulled out their hair, displayed signs of malnutrition, and had other serious health issues.
How to Help
We can’t let monkeys suffer in shady labs like this one. Please pressure Colombian officials to end the abduction of monkeys from their forest homes—you’ll help prevent these animals from suffering and earn yourself 15 peta2 points in our Rewards Program. Here’s what to do:
1. E-mail the following Colombian officials urging them to do the right thing for monkeys:
- María Susana Muhamad González, MPHIL
Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Mauricio Cabrera Leal
Viceministro de Políticas y Normalización Ambiental
- Lilia Tatiana Roa Avendaño
Viceministra de Ordenamiento Ambiental del Territorio
- Laura Bermúdez
Minister Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Herbert Schutze
Minister Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Sandra Sguerra
Minister Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Ramón Eduardo Villamizar Maldonado
Secretario General
- Adriana Rivera Brusatin
Directora de Bosques, Biodiversidad y Servicios Ecosistémicos
2. Take a screenshot of your e-mail and submit it for 15 peta2 points. (Heads-up: You’ll only get points once for taking this action.)
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