A company with a shady past is quietly trying to turn a peaceful stretch of land in LaBelle, Florida, into a warehouse for monkeys imported from Vietnam—animals destined for cruel and deadly lab experiments.

Safer Human Medicine (SHM)—now operating under a new name, SIMI United States, LLC—is pushing to build this massive monkey-holding facility on over 70 acres of ecologically sensitive land between Tampa and Miami. But don’t be fooled by the new name. SHM is backed by former executives of companies that have already been investigated for violations related to monkey importation and animal welfare. And they’re currently facing community opposition and legal challenges in Bainbridge, Georgia, where they attempted a similar project.

If allowed to move forward, this facility wouldn’t just imprison monkeys—it would put the public at serious risk. Monkeys imported for experimentation have been linked to outbreaks of tuberculosis, herpes B, and even Ebola-like viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned about the dangers of importing primates, and Vietnamese monkey farms have recently been tied to disease outbreaks and infections never before seen in the U.S.

This isn’t just a local issue—it’s a public health and environmental crisis in the making. The planned site would produce large amounts of biological waste, threatening nearby land and waterways. And once these monkeys arrive, there’s no going back. LaBelle could become a hub for a global trade built on animal suffering and disease.

But there’s still time to stop it.

We’re calling on the Hendry County Board of Commissioners to act now: Reject any plans for a monkey-holding facility in LaBelle and protect the community, its people, and its environment from this dangerous industry.

Florida should not become the next stop in a global chain of cruelty. Hendry County has the power—and responsibility—to say no.

Sign this petition to demand that Hendry County Commissioners block this facility before it’s too late.