27 monkeys held at NASA facility killed in mass-euthanisation enraging activists: Report

New documents sought under America's freedom of information laws, similar to that of India's Right to Information Act, have revealed that 27 monkeys held at NASA's research centre have been killed last year by administering a drug into them. According to a Guardian report, all 27 monkeys were killed on a single day at NASA's Ames research center in California’s Silicon Valley. The 27 primates were reportedly suffering from Parkinson's disease and were euthanised in February 2019.

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All the monkeys that were housed at NASA's centre were above the age of 21 years. The euthanisation has raised alarm bells among the animal rights activists, who have questioned the decision to kill the monkeys rather than shifting them to a sanctuary. Animal rights activists have called NASA's decision "inhumane" and have called for an inquiry into the matter.

US House Representative Kathleen Rice has written to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine demanding to know why the monkeys were not shifted to a sanctuary. 

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Monkeys not used for research 

According to the report, the monkeys were housed at NASA's California research centre in partnership with LifeSource BioMedical and were not used for any research purposes. According to Stephanie Solis, the chief executive of LifeSource BioMedical, the monkeys were given to the company, which leases space at the NASA's center, and it decided to provide care to the animals as no sanctuary was willing to take them in because of their poor health. 

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Solis further added that it was decided to euthanise the monkeys in a humane manner keeping in mind their old age and declining health. Solis said that the monkeys were provided quality care at the centre until they were alive, adding that all costs were borne by the company itself. Meanwhile, NASA has said that it does not house any primates at its facilities, other than humans. 

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