For many years the University of Wisconsin-Madison has conducted research on monkeys, specifically, rhesus macaques and cynomolgus  macaques.  Research protocols, from just the past few years, reveal the conditions these monkeys must endure.  

Here are some descriptions, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee research protocol applications. Most of the following research has already been completed: 

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) is very closely related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The animals will remain in SIV housing up to a year after SIV infection at which point they will be euthanized. Protocol # 6118.

Caloric restriction and aging. We plan to continue this prospective research program until all long-term study animals die. This project began in 1989 with an original group of 30 adult male macaques. In 1994, 30 females were added along with an additional 16 males. Of the original 76 animals, 3 are still alive. All animals chronically assigned to this protocol have been singly housed since entry into the study over 25 years ago and will continue to be singly housed for the length of the study. (Here the protocol notes that, although singly housed, the monkeys will have visual and auditory contact with each other, have daily stimulation from caretakers, and are given objects and toys). 5726.

All monkeys will be challenged with ZIKV on the first day of the study. Infection with Zika virus is known to cause fever, arthralgia, rash and conjunctivitis in humans. We expect similar symptoms in macaques. 5635.

Engraftment. All animals will undergo pulmonary artery banding and subcutaneous insertion of a cardiac event recorder; animals in the cell engraftment study will also be implanted with a vascular access catheter to facilitate immunosuppressive drug dosing. At the end of their assignment to this protocol, animals will be euthanized. 6218.

Animals will be immobilized against the front of the cage by a squeeze back mechanism and anesthetized......To obtain the brain for histological and molecular analysis, animals will be euthanized or terminally perfused. Semen collection (electro-ejaculator method or vibrator method). .... Breeding or artificially inseminated females may have up to 3 fetectomies.....breeding to obtain 69 fetuses......Ovariectomy........ 5446.

Collection of rectal or vaginal secretions......Biopsies will be taken from up to ten different sites of colon by a fiber optic flexible pediatric endoscope equipped with biopsy forceps.....Because SIV is an incurable disease and animals challenged withSIV can not be returned to the general colony, these are ultimately terminal studies.....Single housing of social species. Social species are singly housed for periods longer than 12 hours for experimentally-driven reasons.....Once animals are SIV challenged, they may be housed singly for the remainder of their lives. 5435

Over a period of time the animals are expected to have fever, weight loss, periods of diarrhea, rash, decreased physical activity and possibly pain. Colon and rectum biopsies...lymph node biopsies. Potential hepatic and pancreatic complications associated with the administration of the test compound.....Once animals are SHIV challenged, they may be housed singly for the remainder of their lives. 5609.

Macaques are the most widely used non-human primate (NHP) in biomedical research in the United States, with more than 18,000 living in NIH-funded National Primate Research Centers. 5507.

In the past ten years we have tested multiple vaccine strategies that specifically stimulate macaque T cells to ward off SIV infection. Unfortunately, these vaccines have had limited success in protecting the vaccinated macaques from becoming SIV infected and developing simian AIDS. 5475.

SIV infection studies are designed to be terminal studies.....5443

Bone marrow harvests....5424

We and the monkeys thank you for your help with this petition!

Mark Silverman
Wisconsin Animal Protection Society
(wisaps.org)