Last week’s truck crash in Mississippi that scattered research monkeys along a rural highway was more than just a bizarre headline — it was a warning.

The 21 rhesus monkeys aboard that transport truck were being shipped for use in biomedical research. After the crash, terrified animals fled into the woods. Several were shot and killed by frightened residents who had been told the monkeys might carry diseases — a claim that turned out to be false. One of the last survivors was later killed by a local preacher who thought he was protecting his family.

No one — not the animals, not the local community — should ever be put in that position again.

Every year, thousands of live monkeys are shipped across the United States for laboratory experiments. Many of these transports cover hundreds of miles by road or air, often without clear safety protocols or public oversight. When crashes or escapes happen, frightened communities are left in chaos, and the animals pay the price.

It’s time for this cruel and outdated system to end.

We call on:

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to immediately halt all live primate transports for research purposes.
• Congress to pass legislation phasing out the use of nonhuman primates in federal research programs and funding non-animal testing alternatives instead.
   

Science has evolved. Humane, effective alternatives already exist — from organ-on-a-chip technology to advanced computer models. There’s no justification for continuing to truck live monkeys across the country in the name of research.

Let the Mississippi crash be the last of its kind.

Sign to demand an end to live primate transport for research in the United States — for the safety of animals, researchers, and communities alike.