Appeals court rules in favor of monkey breeding facility - but local residents say the fight continues
A recent court ruling sided with the company planning to build a controversial monkey breeding facility in the small town of Bainbridge, but opponents remain resolute, vowing, "this is far from over."
Credit: PETA
In a devastating blow to monkeys and the residents of Bainbridge, the Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the corporation behind plans to build a huge monkey-breeding facility in the small town.
The court rejected an appeal, filed by the state of Georgia, that would have vacated a $300 million revenue bond to Safer Human Medicine to finance the proposed facility.
Development of the proposed monkey breeding facility in Bainbridge, Georgia, capable of housing up to 30,000 monkeys for pharmaceutical research, has been on hold since its plans were revealed earlier this year. The delay follows multiple lawsuits, the withdrawal of support from Decatur County leaders, and growing opposition from residents, who have united with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to challenge the project.
The decision by the court of appeals means only that the tax abatement will possibly stand for now, although the court simply ruled that the state couldn’t appeal the bond validation, not on the bond validation itself, PETA explained in a statement.
Despite this latest court ruling, Bainbridge residents and opponents of the facility are refusing to back down.
"Using our common sense intelligence, our investigative skills, the media and the law to continue to push for a positive outcome for the citizens, which is NO MONKEY FARM!” a spokesperson for Stand Up Bainbridge GA, a member group of more than 7,000 people of those opposing the project, told WTXL.
Bainbridge residents have built a powerful movement to fight against the proposed facility. STOP THE MONKEY FARM gear. Photo: Facebook
PETA’s Senior Science Advisor, Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel said, “this fight is far from over. The court’s decision, based on a dizzying and often confusing set of facts, is nothing more than a bump on a one-way road leading to the end of a cruel and pointless monkey-breeding colossus that’s vehemently opposed by the residents of Bainbridge.
“PETA stands with those who see the project for what it is: washed-up former executives of companies that have faced criminal investigations and millions of dollars in fines trying to make as much money as they can with an unprecedented, dangerous, and soon-irrelevant monkey warehouse that would come at the expense of a beautiful town.”
Meanwhile, a Safer Human Medicine spokesperson said they “look forward to engaging with the local Development Authority on next steps.”
“We want the citizens of Bainbridge and Decatur County to know that Safer Human Medicine is dedicated to offering good-paying jobs and positively contributing to the local economy," they continued.
Jones-Engel strongly disputes this claim, arguing that Safer Human Medicine’s economic projections are misleading, telling Species Unite that “by year three, the facility will only provide 44 jobs, and by year eight, if operating at full capacity, will only provide 186 jobs.”
Two lawsuits filed by Bainbridge residents, including property owners bordering the proposed facility, remain unresolved. One claims the project will create a public nuisance and pose risks such as exposure to infectious agents and hazardous waste leaks. Another alleges that area leaders violated the Georgia Open meetings Act when the deal was approved without residents' knowledge.
Please join Species Unite in speaking out against the monkey-breeding facility plans by signing our petition here.
Learn more by listening to the Species Unite podcast episode with Jones-Engel, ‘S11. E5: Lisa Jones-Engel: Stop the Georgia Monkey Farm!’
Read more about the solutions creating a world without animal testing here.
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