The three misdemeanor counts of animal
cruelty against a federal government contractor are highly
unusual. But the local law enforcement official who filed
them, Otero County District Attorney Scott
Key, said he was compelled to act based on what he described
as "institutional neglect."
Key and his investigators pieced the case
together from leaked medical and autopsy reports supplied by
an animal rights group. After authenticating the documents,
Key said he became convinced they portrayed a pattern of
substandard care for animals by Charles River under a 10-year,
$42.8 million contract with the National Institutes of Health
at a facility near Alamogordo, N.M.
"Charles River is funded with millions of
dollars to take care of these chimps, yet there is inadequate
veterinary care," Key said in a telephone interview yesterday.
"These situations occurred when gravely ill chimps were left
overnight with untrained security personnel, and two of those
chimps were dead in the morning."
Ashley was wounded by another chimp. Rex
did not wake up from anesthesia after a checkup. Topsy almost
died from a wound, also inflicted by another chimp. Court
documents filed by Key's investigators also described the
electrocution deaths of three other chimpanzees last winter,
after repairs caused their perch to come into contact with a
270-volt electric line. The documents said that
approximately 21 chimpanzees have died under Charles River
care over a two-year period "either by natural causes or
neglect by personnel."
The complaint filed Tuesday names the
company, chief executive James C. Foster, and
Rick Lee, the chief veterinarian in charge of
the Alamogordo facility, as defendants. Each count carries a
maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and one year in jail.
Charles River declined to make Foster or
Lee available for interviews. The company denied the
allegations in a written statement.
"Charles River was selected by NIH based on
its long record of leadership in the humane care and treatment
of laboratory animals," the statement said. The company said
it has four "world-class" veterinarians and a behavioral
scientist on staff.
