Horrifying undercover video shows beagle puppies whimpering in pain and distressed monkeys held in neck restraints at an animal testing laboratory in Indiana.
Footage, filmed as part of a seven-month investigation by the Humane Society International, shows the animals appearing to be force-fed chemicals to test the toxicity of drugs at Inotiv Inc's lab in Mount Vernon.
An undercover investigator worked at the facility and was assigned to work on more than 70 toxicity studies, all of which were commissioned by more than 12 pharmaceutical companies, involving more than 6,000 animals.
The investigator found that beagles and monkeys were restrained by staff members at the lab to have tubes forced down their throat and pharmaceutical chemicals pumped into their stomach, the Humane Society claims.
Inotiv has defended its research as 'legally required' in the US for developing medicines.
At least 80 beagle puppies were used in the toxicity testing and forced to ingest the chemicals via a stomach tube every day for months, it is claimed. The dogs were later filmed in their small cages whimpering and staggering in pain - with one seen collapsed on the floor - according to the charity.
'The investigator witnessed dogs continuing to be given doses of substances even when they were vomiting, shaking and had high fevers and laboured breathing,' the Humane Society said.
Video also shows monkeys held by the neck in restraint chairs, with their hands and feet splayed and bound, whilst they were given drugs, the Humane Society said. A pair of monkeys could be seen cuddling at the back of their cage in the footage.
The investigator claimed that during the investigation, which took place from August 2021 and March 2022, at least two monkeys accidentally hanged themselves in the restraint chairs.
The lab veterinarian was also accused of failing to assess or treat severely sick dogs and monkeys - despite them wailing in pain.
The investigator alleged that a monkey was continuously plied with chemicals despite suffering serious adverse effects from a drug. The vet reportedly told the technician that the monkey should be dosed with the drug again.
Whilst the technician was dosing the monkey with the drug, he said: 'I'm so sorry, lady, maybe this will be your final dose. I kind of hope it is because it's torture at this point.'
