BOSTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Three squirrel monkeys died in 19 months at the New England Primate Research Center and other animals also sustained injuries, a report released Sunday said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited the Harvard Medical School research facility for three serious incidents that occurred after the medical school replaced the center's leadership in response to other problems, The Boston Globe reported.
Harvard could be fined or receive a warning because of the failures to comply with federal animal welfare regulations, federal officials said.
The Agriculture Department said it considered the incidents direct non-compliance" issues, meaning the animals' welfare either was directly and adversely impacted or there was a great potential for such an impact.
"They've had a tough stretch, and it's certainly something that's gotten our attention and we look forward to them correcting the situation," said David Sacks, a spokesman for the Agriculture Department.
William W. Chin, executive dean for research at Harvard Medical School, told the Globe "there have been deficiencies in what we've been doing, leading to a number of incidents. These are regrettable. … I would say they're, frankly, unacceptable."
