LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - July 12, 2017) - Actress Mena Suvari has teamed up with international animal rights organization Last Chance for Animals (LCA) to raise awareness of an undercover investigation that exposes the extreme abuse of laboratory animals at one of North America's largest contract research organizations. LCA and Mena Suvari released a new PSA on the issue today.
In 2016, an LCA investigator worked undercover at International Toxicology Research (ITR), a Canadian facility that tests the toxicity of various consumer products. The new PSA, narrated by actor and animal rights activist Mena Suvari, shows undercover footage of numerous violations of animal welfare regulations, including isolation, neglect, physical abuse, unsanitary conditions, and more.
"I am honored join LCA to help shed light on the issue of animal abuse and neglect in research laboratories," said Mena Suvari. "It is my hope that LCA's findings open the eyes of the public, so that we can collectively pressure authorities to more closely monitor animal research organizations and shut them down when they violate animal welfare regulations."
"Our findings are visual proof that there are great injustices happening to animals in research laboratories," stated LCA Founder and President Chris DeRose. "LCA will continue to push back against laboratories like ITR -- and the pharmaceutical, beauty, and wellness companies that hire them -- until animal testing is no more."
Most of the animals documented by LCA's investigator were killed at the end of their studies. The macaque monkeys are often subjected to multiple studies over the course of their thirty-year life span.
LCA has created a petition to call for the prosecution of ITR laboratory management. More than 33,000 signatures have been collected to-date.
To learn more, please visit www.lCAnimal.org/ITR.
About Last Chance for Animals (LCA):
LCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and public awareness campaigns. Since its formation in 1984, LCA has succeeded as one of the nation's pioneer animal advocacy organizations. Working internationally, LCA's Sam Simon Special Investigations Unit documents abuse in research labs, puppy mills, factory farms, and the entertainment industry, and works with prosecutors to enforce animal cruelty laws. For additional information, visit www.lcanimal.org
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