After PETA whistleblower report, inspection panel calls for rescue of 1,200 animals from Palamur Biosciences in Mahabubnagar

A government-appointed panel has recommended the rescue and rehabilitation of 1,200 animals from Palamur Biosciences following reports of severe cruelty. PETA India urges immediate action, citing violations of CCSEA norms and unapproved animal testing practices at the Mahabubnagar-based facility.

Hyderabad: A central government-appointed inspection committee has recommended for immediate regulatory action including removal and rehabilitation of 1200 animals at Palamur Biosciences, Mahabubnagar, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, in a press release on Thursday said.

The recommendations of the inspection committee to remove and rehabilitate the laboratory animals, which also include Beagles, and a review of Palamur Biosciences’ registration and breeding license status, have come following an extensive inspection of the facilities of Palamur Biosciences, which apparently took place two-days ago, PETA said.

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A fortnight ago, PETA, India had released a whistleblower report, which reported serious physical and mental harm to laboratory animals at Palamur Biosciences, a biotech company involved in breeding of beagles and animal testing for development of drugs.

PETA India has urged the central government body Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), under Department of Animal Husbandry, to take immediate action on the report by rescuing all animals at Palamur Biosciences and sending them to loving homes and reputable sanctuaries.

The team that inspected Palamur Biosciences in its report said that the facility was using dogs (beagles), pigs, sheep, cattle (including cows), monkeys, rats, mice and rabbits for experiments although initially denying some of those species were held at the facility.

Palamur Biosciences failed to be able to produce any inventory of the animals it houses. The inspectors counted over 1232 animals on the premises, a headcount revealing far more dogs than approved by CCSEA, PETA said.

Across all species, animals are reused in painful experiments, often within weeks of being used for other studies, which is a violation of CCSEA guidelines, PETA said.

PETA said that the inspecting teams found that 73 dogs were under rehabilitation in a ‘make-shift arrangement’, facing the exact same bleak housing conditions as dogs used for breeding and experiments.

The inspectors’ report concludes, “The situation demands urgent attention, particularly with respect to the removal and rehabilitation of animals to prevent further pain, distress or suffering. The findings also call for a critical review of the facility’s registration and breeding license in view of the serious and repeated deviations from prescribed norms.’

Dr Anjana Aggarwal, Scientist and Research Policy Advisor, PETA India says, ‘It has been almost 15 days since egregious cruelty to animals at Palamur was reported and over 10 since the government-appointed inspectors visited, yet the damning report has yet to be acted upon. PETA India calls for urgent rescue and rehabilitation of animals at Palamur Biosciences into loving homes and sanctuaries, and an end to their breeding and experiments on animals.’