Rights group targets primate labs' funding

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- An animal-rights watchdog group says laboratories recently accused of neglecting and mistreating research animals should lose U.S. funding.

The group, Stop Animal Exploitation Now, issued a written statement Thursday saying the four labs cited in complaints collectively have more than 14,000 primates under their control.

"Criminal laboratories within the U.S. should face the full brunt of all legal penalties," SAEN Executive Director Michael Budkie said. "Facilities that cannot follow the law should not be permitted to use federal funding."

SAEN cited labs at the University of Louisiana, University of Michigan and the University of California at Davis. SAEN said if the National Institutes of Health doesn't do something about conditions at UC San Francisco, legal action will follow.

The group said the labs allegedly allow large numbers of animal deaths and injuries due to neglect and lack of veterinary care.