Santa Cruz Biotech Lies to USDA Inspectors, Hiding 841 Animals

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Monday, January 14, 2013
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN, 513-575-5517

Santa Cruz Biotech Lies to USDA Inspectors, Hiding 841 Animals

Negligent Death Toll Continues to Mount

SANTA CRUZ, CA – According to a federal report recently obtained by a national regional watchdog group, Santa Cruz Biotech (SCB) has continued to flagrantly violate the Animal Welfare Act – leading to more animal deaths – and deliberately withheld information from federal inspectors about the existence of a herd of 841 animals, many of whom suffered with significant illnesses.

A scathing five page USDA report dated Oct. 31, 2012 reveals the existence of a herd of 841 animals at Santa Cruz Biotech (SCB). The report states that several SCB staff had lied to federal inspectors, denying the existence of these animals. This herd included a dozen animals with unreported and untreated illnesses.

A later USDA report Dec. 18, 2012 discloses even more federal violations, multiple sick animals, and the deaths of two other animals.

According to Ohio-based SAEN, in the period following a federal complaint filed last summer, SCB has amassed 17 pages of federal violations throughout five separate inspections. Infractions in areas of veterinary care, inadequate supervision of research, withholding information from federal officials, inadequate facilities, are rampant at this recalcitrant lab.

According to the previously released Federal Complaint, Santa Cruz Biotech was responsible for more than 20 incidents of violations relevant to multiple sections of the Animal Welfare Act from 2007 – 2012 (May 2). Violations have been cited for inadequate veterinary care, inadequate personnel, inadequate supervision of experimentation by the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee of Santa Cruz Biotech, inadequate animal handling, unqualified personnel, etc.

“Multiple USDA inspections now demonstrate that Santa Cruz Biotech has utter contempt for enforcement actions by the USDA,” Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T. Executive Director, SAEN.

“Not only is Santa Cruz Biotech denying animals adequate veterinary care which causes untimely deaths, the USDA has documented that the lab has deliberately lied, and withheld information from federal regulators. What else must happen before the USDA takes action? What else can a lab do wrong?" asked Budkie.

All USDA reports and complaint documents are available upon request. Photos from several of the inspections are available as well.