Gandalf's hand was bitten down to the tendons. This laboratory's response was completely inadequate.
   
 
 
 

Gandalf lived, suffered, and was killed in a laboratory—we must spare other monkeys a similar fate.

Gandalf
 
 
 
 

Dear Friend,

Gandalf—a monkey confined to a laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt)—was so desperate for affection that he presented his back to passersby and gestured desperately to try to get them to groom it.

But he received no affection or warmth—only torment. After a severely stressed monkey caged nearby bit Gandalf's hand down to the tendons, the veterinarian on call refused to examine his injury. Instead, she just prescribed ibuprofen—a woefully inadequate treatment for such a serious wound. He was then forced to undergo an experimental surgery. Three weeks later, he was euthanized and sealed in a biohazard bag after experimenters took tissue samples from his corpse.

Today, there are hundreds more monkeys trapped in cages at Pitt, while tens of thousands more languish in other laboratories, experiencing pain and fear as Gandalf did.

PETA's eyewitness observed other monkeys in the laboratory slowly losing their minds: pacing, rocking, and displaying other repetitive behavior often seen in stressed animals held in captivity. Since our investigation, news reports broke that a monkey who may have been infected with a dangerous pathogen escaped from a cage at the same university and that staff allegedly attempted to cover it up—potentially putting animals and humans alike at risk.

Powered by committed PETA supporters like you, our work to end experimentation on animals has helped reduce the number of monkeys, rabbits, and other animals suffering each year:

  • We recently persuaded food giant General Mills to ban experiments on animals for the purpose of making health claims about its products. It now joins Coca-Cola, Lipton, and many of the world's largest food companies that have stopped cruel tests after hearing from PETA.
  • Not long afterward, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that it had ended the use of animals in cruel trauma training drills. It took years of aggressive campaigning by PETA to stop the service branch from shooting, stabbing, and dismembering goats, pigs, and other animals.

But as long as even a single animal is suffering in a laboratory, we must push forward to end the neglect and abuse—and we can't do it without your support.

Our goal is for 1,000 generous supporters to make a donation by midnight on April 30. We're making good progress, but we need you with us, too. Give your gift of $5 or more now and help prevent more animals from suffering in laboratories and cruel experiments!

As always, thank you so much for all that you do for animals—every step we take toward a kinder world is only possible with your dedication and compassion.

Kind regards,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President