A recently released United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection report from January 2016 discloses that Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. (SCBT), one of the world’s largest producers of animal-derived research antibodies, has eliminated its entire inventory of goats and rabbits. The disappearance raises questions about the facility's future.

An inspection conducted by the USDA just six months prior revealed an inventory of 3,202 goats and 2,471 rabbits. The exodus of the facility’s goat and rabbit inventories coincides with an unprecedented series of enforcement actions by the USDA against SCBT. These actions are tied to numerous citations issued against the company by USDA veterinary inspectors, alleging serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), including concealing an entire barn housing over 800 goats who had been used in antibody production.

“SCBT has been repeatedly cited by the USDA for failing to meet the modest requirements under the law,” said Cathy Liss, president of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), which has brought public scrutiny to the allegations against SCBT. Since 2012, AWI has repeatedly called for the USDA to take action, including seeking revocation of SCBT’s dealer license and issuing a substantial fine against the facility. “This company has been on the USDA’s enforcement radar for more than a decade. It appears that its misdeeds have finally caught up with it. We applaud the department for its diligence and will continue our efforts to ensure that no animals will ever suffer at SCBT again.”

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Previous Coverage: USDA Presents Case Against Santa Cruz Biotechnology in Historic Proceeding | Dealer of Animal-Derived Antibodies Could Lose License | ALDF Lawsuit Against Santa Cruz Biotechnology Animal Testing Facility Gains Support | Federal Investigations Reveal Severe Neglect of Animals at Santa Cruz Biotechnology