PETITION TARGET: Texas Governor Greg Abbott
PETITION UPDATE (2/14/2024): A growing number of city and state officials are speaking up to oppose the development of the Charles River Laboratories facility in Brazoria, Texas. Pearland City Council voted to deny issuing state and federal permits in January and Community Impact reports that authorities in Sweeny, West Columbia, and Lake Jackson have similarly voiced opposition to the facility. We will continue to keep you updated on the fate of this proposal as events unfold. — Lady Freethinker Staff
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Charles River Laboratories, a research animal breeder and dealer, is attempting to set up a facility in Brazoria, Texas to house primates used for experiments — despite major community pushback.
The company, previously subpoenaed in a years-long Department of Justice investigation involving the smuggling of Cambodian monkeys, is facing public outrage at their proposed facility.
The people of Brazoria County have made it clear that Charles River Laboratories is not welcome.
County commissioners unanimously voted in favor of a resolution recommending that state and federal authorities do not issue permits to the monkey housing facility, according to a public statement.
However, without the denial of permits, a decision that rests with state and federal regulators, Charles River Laboratories just has to meet the requirements of the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to begin building.
“We don’t get to regulate properties,” Matt Sebesta, Brazoria County Judge said. “Industrial, residential, or other purposes.”
According to the company’s 2022 Annual Report, Charles River Laboratories held over 16,000 non-human primates for research use.
Primates used in research are often subject to painful and traumatizing experiments, like the gruesome procedures exposed in LFT’s investigation of a Virginia medical school. These highly intelligent, social primates do not deserve to languish in barren cages and endure painful, horrific tests.
Sign our petition now to urge the governor of Texas to call for a denial of all permits for this animal housing facility, and speak out against all animal testing.
