April 7, 2012 • Posted in Reports
Findings from the reports of particular concern and any specific references to chimpanzees are highlighted below. Learn more about Alamogordo here.
ADVISORY: In many cases, laboratories with seemingly innocuous inspection citations have been known to be or are in serious violation of humane standards of care, most of which are not even accounted for by federal law. If something is legal to do to an animal it will not be cited. But legality does not make it morally or ethically acceptable. Thus as you read these reports, bear in mind that laws "protecting" animals, as well as the inspection process to enforce these laws, are inadequate.
Please be advised that while NEAVS/Project R&R continues to closely monitor laboratory inspection reports, we are no longer updating this page as the information is now readily available to you through the USDA.
Project R&R requested animal welfare inspection reports for the prior three years on June 21, 2004. We received records on August 4, 2005, consisting of a one-page report that indicated that the inspector found no non-compliant items during that visit (dated July 16, 2003).
Subsequently, Project R&R submitted a FOIA request to the USDA on January 2, 2007 for all 2005–2006 inspection reports. We received a response on January 26, 2007 that included two reports dated October 31, 2005 and June 15, 2006, which reported that the inspector did not identify any non-compliant items.
On May 28, 2008, Project R&R sent a FOIA request for all 2007 inspection reports. We received one report on June 26, 2008. The report was dated February 26, 2007 and stated that the inspector did not identify any non-compliant items.
Project R&R received similar reports that did not identify an non-compliant items for the following dates: July 28, 2009, March 30, 2010, and May 11, 2011.
All reports were accompanied by a letter stating:
…Information has been withheld under FOIA Exemption 4, 5 U.S.C. sec 552(b)(4). Exemption 4 protects confidential business information from disclosure when its release would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of an individual, a partnership or corporation from whom the information was obtained.
Information has also been withheld pursuant to FOIA Exemption 6, 5 U.S.C. sec 552(b)(6). This exemption protects information from disclosure when its release would cause a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
This same information has been withheld under FOIA Exemption 7(C), 5 U.S.C. sec 552 (b)(7)(C). This exemption protects from disclosure records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes when its release could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
This response is an example of how facilities give only bare minimum information and use all exemptions to avoid providing anything further.