As required for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, veterinary medical officers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regularly conduct unannounced inspections of facilities that house animals for research. In July 2024, USDA inspectors conducted a review of animals, facilities and associated records on parts of the UW–Madison campus.
After completing their review, USDA inspectors issued five citations. In each case, according to USDA’s inspection report, UW–Madison’s teams of specialized veterinarians and animal care staff discovered and reported the incidents to federal agencies and appropriate oversight committees and had already taken corrective actions in an effort to prevent future occurrences.
1.9 C.F.R. § 2.31(d)(1) and 1.9 C.F.R. § 2.31(d)(1)(x)
Some monkeys and birds in several animal studies experienced more procedures than were described in the studies’ experimental plans, called protocols, set out before the studies began. While — as noted by USDA inspectors — veterinarians found no adverse outcomes for the animals involved, the university has reiterated to the studies’ principal investigators the importance of limiting research activities to what is enumerated in approved protocols.
In another study, a monkey underwent one more surgical procedure than the research protocol called for, potentially causing pain not initially considered necessary to achieve the study’s experimental goals. USDA’s report indicated UW–Madison took corrective measures to prevent similar errors from happening in the future.
1.9 C.F.R. § 2.38(f)(1)
In two incidents in 2024, errors by staff contributed to uncontrolled interactions between monkeys that resulted in animal injuries that required veterinary treatment. Incidents like these typically happen as animals are moved from one enclosure to another, exchanges that occur about 75,000 times a year in UW–Madison’s largest primate research facility. In a recent three-year period, injuries happened in 0.006% of these exchanges. As USDA notes, the animals received prompt veterinary care, but any injury in these incidents should have been avoided. Staff review the circumstances of each of these events, looking for ways to improve procedures and equipment to further reduce the already tiny rate of error.
In 2023, a heating lamp meant to keep an animal warm during a study procedure was placed too close and injured the animal. The animal received prompt veterinary care. Procedures were changed, and lamps have been replaced with warm-air and warm-water heating methods.
A monkey was apparently injured while researchers took a blood sample in 2023. Unfortunately, and despite prompt veterinary care, the animal’s declining health warranted euthanasia. Staff members were retrained on proper sampling techniques.
1.9 C.F.R. § 3.80(a)(2)(ii)
In 2023, a monkey injured its hand when it grabbed a closing enclosure door. While USDA noted that staff followed procedure and used the equipment properly, the university’s review determined the door may have been too heavy to prevent this kind of accident. The door is being modified to prevent reoccurrence. As described above, injuries like these happen at a remarkably low rate in UW–Madison facilities. The dedicated members of the university’s animal care staff are continually working to make them even more rare.
1.9 C.F.R. § 3.80(a)(2)(iii)
In December of 2023, monkeys in a large social housing enclosure pried open a divider between neighboring enclosures enough to reach and injure each other. Six animals received veterinary care that included sutures. The divider was repaired. The dividers in this type of enclosure had not failed before, but each similar piece of equipment in the facility was inspected and further secured to prevent future incidents.
In separate incidents in October and December of 2023, locks failed, and monkeys typically kept apart injured each other when they interacted. Veterinary care was administered promptly, and the equipment was examined and replaced to make the environment safer for the animals.
View the inspection report. (PDF)