Last week NASA announced a new plan to radiate live squirrel monkeys for scientific purposes. 18 to 28 animals will be exposed to a low dose of radiation.
According to
Discovery News, NASA goal is to understand how the radioactive environment of space affects humans while travelling through space.
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, American anti-animal testing group, immediately launched a protest, stating:
Radiation experiments involving nonhuman primates commonly involve restraint and other cruel procedures. Monkeys, like other primates, are highly intelligent, have strong family bonds, demonstrate empathy, and, most importantly, suffer.
Despite NASA's assurances, quoted by
The Register, that
the monkeys will afterwards retire to the McLean Hospital in Boston where veterinarians and staff will oversee their health.
PETA posted a
blog entry, stating:
The monkeys will then spend the rest of their lives being forced to perform a host of "behavioral tasks" to assess how the radiation affected their brains.
PETA's protesting letter to NASA remains unanswered for the moment
