Late last year, I blogged about Canada's shameful role in ongoing and illegal animal abuse: the importation of long-tailed macaques, an endangered species of monkey, for use in drug experiments. The posts are here and here.
Those earlier posts did not go into detail, because, frankly, I cannot handle knowing too much about animal abuse. It feels like every animal story I've ever read or seen is indelibly etched in my memory, never to be erased. I can't remember what I did last weekend, but the dogfighting scene from a Cormac McCarthy novel I read more than 20 years ago still haunts me. Even the stories with happy endings kill me: what happened before the rescue still happened.
Follow the money
The illegal importation of long-tailed macaques is purely profit-driven. There is no scientific or medical reason for this abhorrent practice to continue. In addition, it creates a significant risk of zoonotic disease transmission.
Laws already exist to protect endangered species, but loopholes, lack of oversight, and the absence of meaningful sanctions allow corporations such as US-based pharmaceutical company Charles River Laboratories to continue the practice.
The importation of long-tailed macaques for experimentation is already illegal in the US, but imports from Cambodia into Canada increased by 500 per cent from 2022 to 2023, according to Statistics Canada.
Environment and Climate Change Canada, the federal department responsible for monitoring commercial trade in wildlife, confirmed that Charles River Laboratories has imported 6,769 long-tailed macaques into the country in (roughly) the past 18 months. The monetary value of these imports: $120 million dollars.
Shine the light, now take the steps
Last November's open letter led by scientists Jesse Greener and Michael Schillaci -- signed by 80 scientists, professors, and researchers, including David Suzuki -- illuminated this inexcusable, unsafe, but highly profitable, practice.
Achieving real change, however, requires movement by our elected officials. This petition, sponsored by MP Alexandre Boulerice, can put pressure on Prime Minister Carney and his cabinet to do the right thing.
You can read more here: 'Serious risks': Researchers join push against importing monkeys for drug testing.
Sign and share
Canadians, please sign this petition before the House of Commons, calling on the government of Canada to stop allowing endangered monkeys to be imported for cruel and unnecessary lab experimentation. And don't forget to check your email, then click the link to you to confirm your signature.
It's easy. It's important. And it may work.
Please sign and share with your networks.
Short documentary
You may be interested in this 26-minute documentary from Bloomberg Investigates: The Dirty Business of Monkey Laundering. It looks really good -- powerful. I can't watch, but I hope people will.
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