Violations of the Federal Animal Welfare Act at Alpha Genesis, Inc.

Veterinary inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have documented serious and chronic violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in the two primate centers operated by Alpha Genesis, Inc. (AGI). The AWA stipulates minimum animal welfare standards, but AGI has repeatedly failed to comply with these established protections for animals. Click the links for the full USDA reports.

You can help by urging the National Institutes of Health to send monkeys from AGI to sanctuaries.

• January 31, 2023 (five violations): Inspectors documented moldy food and debris-covered items in monkey enclosures. Sharp metal edges were observed in a primary enclosure, posing an injury risk to the animals. Also, monkeys were exposed to dangerously low temperatures, but employees failed to address the issue promptly. The grounds were littered with sludge, excreta, food waste, and hazardous materials like used medical supplies and construction debris, creating unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

• December 1, 2022 (official warning): The USDA’s enforcement arm issued an official warning to AGI for AWA violations documented in the institution’s September 20, 2022, inspection report.

• September 20, 2022 (three critical violations): Between January and August 2022, six monkeys were returned to incorrect enclosures, resulting in the death of one animal and injuries to four others that required veterinary care. Two monkeys died in July after becoming fatally entrapped in enclosure structures. Multiple escapes were documented, including groups exploiting structural weaknesses or opening cage panels, resulting in unplanned interactions and injuries requiring veterinary care. Additionally, an infant monkey died after becoming entangled in gauze that had been used to secure a water bottle in a clinic cage.

• July 27, 2021 (one violation): In two buildings housing macaques, hazardous cleaning supplies, including an opened bottle of bleach without a cap, were left near cages, posing serious risks. Additionally, opened bags of food were improperly stored on top of food containers instead of being secured.

• July 24, 2017 (citation and notification of penalty): The USDA’s enforcement arm fined AGI $12,600 for six violations of the AWA, including incidents documented in the institution’s April 1, 2015, and February 23, 2016, inspection reports.

• February 23, 2016 (two violations, one critical): A juvenile macaque was misidentified and placed in the wrong social group, resulting in fatal injuries from fighting. A rhesus macaque died from dehydration after a water line was mistakenly left off during cleaning. Five additional macaques were discovered to be dehydrated and required medical intervention. Also, a female macaque was found loose in a building after escaping from an improperly secured cage. Two other macaques escaped an outdoor enclosure by breaking a thin wire. While one was safely recaptured, the other died from internal injuries after being darted.

• April 1, 2015 (one violation): On December 22, 2014, two employees left doors open, allowing 26 long-tailed macaques to escape. All were recaptured within 48 hours. A week later, a monkey escaped from a transfer cage and fled into the woods. Despite searches, the animal was not found.

• May 20, 2014 (official warning): The USDA’s enforcement arm issued an official warning to AGI for violations documented in the institution’s April 7, 2014, inspection report.
  
• April 7, 2014 (seven violations, two critical): In January 2014, four long-tailed macaques died from cold stress, including one left outside overnight and another exposed to freezing temperatures due to a back door left open during maintenance. In March, another macaque was found dead in an unobserved area after failing to receive appropriate care. Also, several backup areas for long-tailed macaques were found in unsanitary conditions, with dead cockroaches, standing water, and excess feces in and around cages. Enclosures had water drainage issues, forcing animals to traverse through standing water to access doorways and water bottles. Eroded areas under feeder platforms and gaps in enclosure walls posed entrapment risks, while a long, unsecured chain in one enclosure presented a strangulation hazard. In the capuchin housing area, inadequate cleaning left moldy food, white mold, wet dirt, and gnats on floors. A wall was splattered with brown material.