No more monkeying around

This week the news of Indiana University President Michael McRobbie halting primate research at IUB made my day to say the least. The Herald-Times ran a three part story about the issue entitled "Flawed Process". I won't disagree with them there.

How disappointing to read a multi-day, front page story about the mismanagement of a primate lab at Indiana University Bloomington with no acknowledgment of how the "mismanagement" would affect the animals themselves.

Inspections by the United States Department of Agriculture in May and July of 2007 turned up dozens of citations regarding animal care and conditions on the Bloomington campus including, but not limited to, Preston McGarraghty’s laboratory in psychology.

In total, there were more than 40 violations of federal standards from the USDA and communications that the lab in the Optometry School fell far short of minimum standards for rhesus macaques to be housed there.

The Optometry lab was the final straw, and rightly so, for McRobbie to pull the plug. The lab in progress had such egregious flaws including, floors inadequate for drainage and a drop ceiling that would be an easy means of escape for a monkey loose from its cage. 

Did I mention that rhesus macaques have a high occurrence of Hepatitis B or the myriad of issues involved with monkeys in research? If these obvious problems existed, we can only imagine what the actual housing for the animals might have looked like.

Now, back to Preston McGarraghty and his view point.  “I feel that I was treated in a very unprofessional manner. It has left me with a very bitter taste in my mouth about the institution,” he said.

It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that faculty at IU would not only be putting students, staff, other faculty and IU's reputation at risk AND have such little regard for the animals. I can only imagine how Herman B Wells, the father of IU and educational visionary, would feel about such a stance. Surely this is not the vision of enlightenment and progressive higher education that he devoted his life.

Animal use in research poses many moral and ethical questions that an institution of higher education such as IU should be debating, including in their regular dialog, while also researching alternatives to animal research.

Animals used in research is not an issue that can quickly be solved, but have any of the world's offenses  been solved overnight? The great thinkers of our society and universities should see the value of all life and the inherent suffering of animals used in research. We need to do better by actively working toward minimizing suffering and eventually replacing animals used in research. The margin of human error is  monumental.