Monkeys travelling to UK labs for medical testing face gruelling journeys

Some monkeys travelling to the UK for laboratory testing face health issues and tough transport conditions, with activists slamming the fact the UK conducts ­experiments on primates

On May 28, a group of long-tailed macaques were on a long, arduous journey trapped inside cramped wooden crates.

Taking off from Mauritius and Vietnam, a trip of up to 25 hours, they were ­quarantined first in the ­Netherlands, before being driven to Brussels Airport for a flight to Manchester. Their final destination were UK laboratories for medical testing.

One monkey had a suspected rectal prolapse, yet inspectors at Brussels allowed him to be loaded on an aircraft. Photos via a Freedom of ­Information request by Dutch-Belgian organisation Animal Rights show blood smeared on the inside of the crate.

On another flight, inspectors at ­Brussels reported the temperature in the cargo could not be controlled, and was estimated to be about 10C, which they said “is too cold for the animals”. But the flight to the UK still took place.

In July, during another inspection of monkeys destined for the US, ­one was found dead. Activists have slated the “cruel” conditions and the fact the UK conducts ­experiments on primates. Action for Primates said: “Transportation by air is a stressful ordeal for monkeys, who may become so distressed they can become ill or die in transit. Monkeys spend hours confined, cruelly deprived of companionship.

“Journey times to the final destination, including air and ground transit, can be long, and the monkeys may have to endure inadequate ventilation, ­unfamiliar and loud noise, extreme temperature fluctuations and delays.” All primates imported to the UK must be licensed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), and it is the responsibility of the vet in the country of origin to decide if they are fit to travel.

Sarah Kite, Action for Primates founder, said: “These ­revelations have placed the secretive world of primate research and toxicity testing in the spotlight. Sentient and intelligent monkeys are being subjected to a ­terrifying ordeal, shipped in small crates across the world. This is cruel and inhumane and we call upon the UK government to end it.”

An APHA spokesman said: “We take reports of breaches in animal welfare regulations very seriously and we are looking into the exact details of this case.”