In a monumental triumph for animal welfare and ethical science, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has successfully campaigned to close down Dr. Agnès Lacreuse’s laboratory at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst (UMass). This victory marks the end of more than a decade of cruel and often deadly experiments on marmosets, tiny, intelligent primates, at the university. This achievement underscores the power of sustained advocacy and the growing demand for compassionate, scientifically sound research.
For years, PETA waged an relentless campaign against the Lacreuse lab, exposing the horrific conditions and scientifically questionable nature of the experiments conducted on these sensitive animals. The experiments, purportedly designed to study menopause—a condition marmosets do not naturally experience—involved invasive and distressing procedures. Records revealed that experimenters drilled holes into the marmosets’ skulls to implant electrodes, cut into their necks, and threaded wires through their bodies. Some marmosets were even zip-tied into restraining devices, shoved into plastic cylinders, and subjected to the disorienting noise of an MRI machine. To mimic hot flashes, hand warmers were cruelly attached to their bodies. Beyond the physical torment, these highly social monkeys were subjected to solitary confinement, a practice that has been likened to torture when inflicted upon humans.
PETA’s campaign was multifaceted and unyielding. It included dozens of protests, a massive advertising blitz, and legal actions, including a public records lawsuit that forced UMass to release previously withheld documentation and pay PETA $50,000 in legal fees. Over 160,000 supporters sent emails to the National Institutes of Health, urging an end to federal funding for the lab, and a staggering 1.3 million messages were sent directly to UMass. Celebrities like Daisy Ridley, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Kate del Castillo, and Massachusetts native Casey Affleck lent their voices to the cause, amplifying the call for the lab’s closure.
The pressure mounted as PETA continued to expose violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, including incidents where a marmoset’s tail was slammed in a cage door and others were confined to cages that failed to meet minimum space requirements. The organization highlighted that more than half the marmosets in the lab were killed since 2023, including a tragic massacre of 10 monkeys in a single month, even after Lacreuse had claimed a “monkey shortage.”
This persistent activism ultimately paid off. A message on the laboratory’s website confirmed its closure, signaling a profound shift away from archaic and unethical animal experimentation. This closure is a testament to the fact that cruelty can indeed be shut down when dedicated individuals and organizations refuse to give up. It reinforces the critical need for research to move towards modern, human-relevant, non-animal methodologies that are not only more ethical but also more effective.
The victory at UMass Amherst is a beacon of hope for animals suffering in laboratories worldwide. It demonstrates that public outcry, combined with strategic legal and advocacy efforts, can bring about significant change. For more information on how you can support the fight against animal testing and learn about other crucial animal welfare issues, visit https://sustainableactionnow.org/animal-testing/. This is how we collectively shut cruelty down.
