A BUAV investigation uncovers shocking conditions inside the monkey farms of Laos: send sample letter

 

Please send one of two sample letters provided below.  An email block is provided for your convenience, but individual addresses are as well for further mailing options. One of the email addresses has failed for me, but I will keep it in in case it gets reactivated.


BACKGROUND | SOURCE: BUAV (Please note that British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection – BUAV – has become Cruelty Free International and previous BUAV-specific links may no longer load.)

The cruel trade in monkeys in South East Asia for the international research industry involves thousands of monkeys incarcerated in overcrowded and barren conditions in breeding farms across Laos.

The BUAV investigation uncovered shocking conditions that breach internationally recognised animal welfare guidelines. Some monkeys were found dead in their pens, while others were severely emaciated and suffering from severe hair loss and injuries.

The BUAV is calling for action by CITES (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species) and governments to address the largely unregulated trade in macaque within South-east Asia and take action over the serious animal welfare concerns that this investigation has uncovered.

The long-tailed macaque (M. fascicularis) is currently the most heavily-traded mammal listed on the CITES Appendices. There has been a rapid expansion of the international trade in long-tailed macaques in South East Asia since 2004 as the breeding and supply of the species for research purposes has developed into a large-scale business enterprise. The number of long-tailed macaques exported globally for research sharply rose from 119,373 (between 1999 and 2003) to 261,823 (between 2004 and 2008). The monkeys are exported to Vietnam and China, both countries are major suppliers of macaques to the laboratories of the UK, Europe and the USA.

BUAV Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, states: “Our investigation has uncovered a disturbing and unregulated trade in monkeys for research. CITES and governments must start to address the growing concerns that surround the cruelty and plundering of the macaque populations from their native forests in South East Asia to feed the international research industry.”

Please support our campaign:

Write letters to the Laos embassy in your country calling on the government of Laos to place an immediate ban on the capture, breeding and export of long-tailed macaques destined for the research industry. Click here for the contact details of Laos embassies around the world or see directly below.


WHOM TO CONTACT

Email block

phoumypm@yahoo.com , phbounthanh@yahoo.com , thongphanhr@yahoo.com , Kphandanouvong@yahoo.com , conbru@laotel.com

Individual

Mr. Phoumy Phoumanivong
Director General
Department of Forest Inspection (DOFI)
Ministry Of Agriculture and Forestry
That Dam Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR/ P.0.box 1888, Vientiane, Lao PDR
Fax: +856 21 216508
Email: phoumypm@yahoo.com

Mr. Bounthanh Philanchanh
Deputy Director of Wildlife Investigations Division
Department of Forestry Inspection (DOFI)
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
That Dam Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR/ P.0.box 1888, Vientiane, Lao PDR
Email: phbounthanh@yahoo.com

Mr. Khamphout Phandanouvong
Deputy Director General
Department of Forestry Inspection (DOFI)
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
That Dam Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR/ P.0.box 1888, Vientiane, Lao PDR
E-mail: thongphanhr@yahoo.com/ Kphandanouvong@yahoo.com

Mr. Bouaphanh Phanthavong
Director
Division of Forest Resource Conservation
Department of Forestry
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
That Dam Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR/ P.0.box 1888, Vientiane, Lao PDR
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Fax: (856-21) 217161
Email: conbru@laotel.com


SAMPLE LETTER ONE

Dear Director General Phoumanivong, Deputy Director Philanchanh, Deputy Director General Phandanouvong, and Director Phanthavong:

I was shocked to learn the cruelty inflicted on long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques as exported by Laos for research, the efficacy of which is questionable at best, and lethal at worst.  These experiments subject the macaques to enormous suffering and pain; we must not allow for such exploitation to continue.

Furthermore, it has come to my attention that Indonesia is failing to comply with CITES regulations, and has clearly demonstrated a lack of conformity to CITES standards as established by CITES investigators.  Because of the gross misrepresentation Laos has committed, I respectfully ask that Laos place an immediate ban on on the capture, breeding, and export of long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, not just until such a time when commitment to regulations can be reestablished, but permanently.

Animals are sentient beings, capable of thought and emotion, including love and suffering.  Prior to subjecting any animal to exploitation, I plead with your country to acknowledge this important condition that both humans and non-humans share.  We must teach our children respect for, and empathy towards, animals, for our children are undeserving of this cruel legacy whereby animals are exploited and suffered for human greed and egotistical motive.  Please immediately cease causing harm to the macaques, and implement animal research and testing alternatives, which have proven superior to unreliable animal models.

Thank you for your time.

NAME


SAMPLE LETTER TWO

Dear Director General Phoumanivong, Deputy Director Philanchanh, Deputy Director General Phandanouvong, and Director Phanthavong:

I am writing to express my concern about the conditions at monkey farms in Laos, as revealed by a recent BUAV investigation.

The monkeys were being held in overcrowded and barren concrete cages. In particular, at the Xaysavang Trading Export-Import Company in Bolikhamxay Province, monkeys were thin or severely emaciated with loss of fur. It appeared that they were starving to death. Many were lying dead in their pens.

I hope you are as shocked and appalled by this situation as I am. Keeping monkeys in such terrible conditions breaches international animal welfare guidelines. It is cruel and detrimental to the mental well-being and physical health of the monkeys.

I urge the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to carry out an urgent investigation and close down the monkey farms of Laos.

Sincerely,

NAME

what reason is there for a
monkey farm
except to do innocent
primates a lot
of harm
how would you feel
if you were a macacque
you would want people
like us to have your back
so please shut down
these torture hells
treat animals as they
should be treated…
WELL!!!!

Karen Lyons Kalmenson