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CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS LEADING TO MULTIPLE COUNTS OF CRIMINAL ANIMAL
CRUELTY FILED AGAINST THE NIH'S "ALAMOGORDO PRIMATE FACILITY"
OPERATOR
Prepared by In Defense of Animals /
September 7th, 2004
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March 13, 2003 - The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led by Rep. James Greenwood, initiates a broad investigation
(Congress Investigation) of the NIH's management and oversight of billions of dollars in extramural grants. The Committee's inquiry is precipitated by its findings
(Congress Findings) that the NIH had continued to fund The Coulston Foundation despite the lab's numerous and continuous violations of federal law.
April 2003 - For the first time in its history, the FDA disqualifies a GLP lab. Not only is The Coulston Foundation disqualified, but all GLP data generated by the facility is now considered suspect in the eyes of the agency.
June 26-27, 2003 - A 26-year-old chimpanzee named Topsy almost bleeds to death at the APF. According to IDA's network of whistleblowers, Topsy, like Ashley, had also suffered a sex-skin injury, which occurred on June 26, 2003. She was observed to be bleeding "stead[ily]" in repeated entries in the clinical notes written by animal caretakers. She was examined by ex-Coulston Foundation veterinarian Dr. Paul Langner in the afternoon at 2:15. He prescribed 10 milligrams of Valium, which is generally regarded as a small dose. Importantly, Langner noted that the injury had clotted "until she picked at it again" and that it appeared to clot quickly "when she leaves it alone." This indicates Langner's knowledge that she could continue to pick at the wound, which had already caused steady bleeding. She was not separated out into a treatment room. The next entry in the clinical notes is 6:50 a.m. the next morning, June 27, 2003, when, according to the clinical notes, she was "discovered" lying in a significant amount of fresh blood, and looked "weak with pale color." This more than 16-hour gap in entries in the clinical notes, as well as the entries of June 27, 2003 stating that she was "discovered" and "found anemic and weak this a.m.," is consistent with the IDA allegation that animal care staff left the facility at the end of the June 26 workshift and that security then took over monitoring of Topsy. The veterinarian who examined Topsy on June 27 described her as "very weak," "very pale" and "non-mobile." Blood tests revealed that she had suffered an acute blood loss; she had only approximately one-half of normal blood volume and approximately one-half of normal red blood cell count. She also had highly elevated white blood count. After oral rehydration failed to stabilize her, the veterinarians decided she needed intravenous fluids, steroids, antibiotics and, most significantly, a blood transfusion. A transfusion is very serious step undertaken only when absolutely necessary. The Physical Examination sheet has the word "EMERGENCY" handwritten in all capital letters and underlined. Topsy, who just a month prior had been described in a veterinary staff meeting as a hepatitis B animal with "declining liver function," was seriously weakened for days afterward. Two days after the injury she was observed to be still "weak" and "unable to eat or drink anything," while four days after she was observed to be at only "50 percent" of her normal activity.
The "policy" of leaving sick and/or injured chimpanzees in the care of untrained security/maintenance personnel appears still to be in place at the APF. The cruelty surrounding Topsy's near-death is included in District Attorney Scot Key's criminal animal cruelty charges filed against Charles River Laboratories and Dr. Rick Lee. The NIH continues to fund CRL.
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