Unless you are a Luddite, you are aware of the recent Ebola scare in the United States.
What you may not know is that Ebola is spread to humans by some animals, including monkeys.
So riddle me this, Batman: Why is Hendry County, Florida’s local government allowing a company to open a macaque breeding facility there?
Well, we’re not sure of their motives, because the County’s meetings with the secretive company behind the facility were all behind closed doors.
To be sure, the public wouldn’t even know that such a facility was under construction if not for the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Animal Defenders International.
When reporter Jane Velez-Mitchell followed up with local legislators, they claimed they only issued permits. Governor Rick Scott’s office claimed it was a federal issue. The FDA claimed they would only inspect after the fact, and had no hand in approving the facility. Seems no one wants to take responsibility.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund recently filed a lawsuit against Hendry County for allegedly violating state laws by conducting closed door meetings and deals for a facility that will breed monkeys that were captured from the wild in Mauritius in order to supply research labs with unwilling victims.
Monkeys that could carry any number of diseases, including Ebola and tuberculosis.
So if the population was so worried about a few people coming into the country possibly infected, why are they not worried about a bunch of breeding monkeys that could be?
Just in case, I’d stay out of the Fort Myers/Naples area. Ya never know, right?
Dogpaddling Through Life 
Reblogged this on Vegan Lynx.
Curious – so much for transparency and will of the local people. If nothing’s wrong, why the silence – so it is worrisome.
Too many local governments issues permits or get bullied into issuing permits saying they have no choice…but they could quietly and anonymously let locals know ASAP so they can mobilize and publicize (the only way to stop things these days – we are dealing with a tree massacre by a developer on city property and they are all pointing fingers at each other – but you can run it down, and make them regret it and they do)
Good idea to post. Hope people can get some answers.
Oh, the ebola thing may or may not be an issue as Feds are handing out money for research. But in any case, the media is being shhh-ed about ebola by the “czar”…local cases in several states are reported as “breaking news” with story to follow later at 6…only the story never appears again and any word of it online is quickly scrubbed. Happened here at our major trauma center – case all too similar to the 1st one starting at a small local hospital. Don’t expect any news about ebola – don’t want to keep shoppers out of the mall or airports….the research breeding stock might be caged there in transit to Florida?
Paws up Rumpy, dog this one
Truth be told, Ebola is not easily transmitted, so there’s probably little threat. But a company that won’t even admit what they’re doing there is certainly not to be trusted to warn the community should there be a breach.
Definitely. No excuse for lack of openness with the public. Arrogance when dealing with the “little people who are too stupid to be rational and understand” is becoming all too common.
That our elected officials and government employees/agencies who work for us to this more and more is very disturbing.
Trust is foundation for everything.
(It was a lovely tongue in cheek post)
Why are they breeding the monkeys to begin with? Pets? Laboratory test subjects?
Lab test subjects.
It’s hard to click like with things like this. Heartbreaking to think of the suffering.
I agree. This is unacceptable.
Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors.
DNAs of monkeys are very close to humans, so if monkeys have some diseases, they would spread to humans easily….scary…. 😦
That’s why these people think they can secretly conspire to breed monkeys- to use them in research labs.
Yikes! Is there some shortage of monkeys that I’m not aware of?
They sell the monkeys to research laboratories to experiment on.
Never heard about this and we live in Florida.
Many people haven’t, and thats just how they want it.
Totally unacceptable! It makes me wonder how many others are out there!