Recognizing the devastation reaped by the animal research industry in partnership with the international primate trade, we recently asked for your support in urging the U.S. government to add long-tailed and pig-tailed macaque monkeys to the Endangered Species list.
While this effort makes its way through the prolonged administrative process – while macaques are still being considered for “endangered species” listings – the industry’s offensive against these protections is taking shape.
Animal research industry front group NABR has submitted a petition of its own to the IUCN, seeking to undercut protections for macaques.
Earlier this month, the National Association for Biomedical Research (“NABR”) submitted a petition to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (“IUCN”) challenging IUCN’s 2022 classification of long-tailed macaques as “endangered”.
NABR doesn’t want macaques protected in any way because, they say, this would make their enslavement and torture in research laboratories “more difficult”.
NABR is the animal research industry. Here’s what you need to know:
- NABR is a consortium of 300+ institutions, including “every major pharmaceutical company, 80% of medical schools, nearly every veterinary medical school, and nearly every research university.”
- NABR endeavors to “safeguard the future of” animal research, acts as “the only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to advocating” for pro-animal research policy, and “dominates the lobbying effort” for animal research in the US.
- NABR was formed to combat the animal rights movement and takes credit for making sure that rats, mice, and birds are not considered “animals” for purposes of the Animal Welfare Act and for helping pass the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.
- NABR is a client, funder, and partner of Policy Directions Inc., a “government relations and lobby firm” for animal researchers.
NABR wants the very scientists making careers off of animal research setting animal protection policy.
NABR’s petition to IUCN triggers a scientific review by IUCN, which will be led by “scientists”. Based not only on the history of the animal research policy but also the recent travesty of the NASEM report, we should be extremely concerned by this.
We need to turn our concern into action. Now.
If you haven’t already, please take action to get the long-tailed macaque and the pig-tailed macaque added to the list of endangered species with protections under the Endangered Species Act.