Commercial Airlines Ship Cargoes of Misery

[Guest guest]

[From AR-News]

(US) Airline Campaign Update

Dena Jones <<djones>

05:25pm Feb 2, 2001 EST

 

Commercial Airlines Ship Cargoes of Misery

 

Success is within reach! Thanks to an ongoing international campaign by

animal advocates, a number of U.S.-based and foreign airlines have

agreed to no longer transport primates for research purposes. Last year,

several airlines including Delta, Korean Air, China Airlines, and

EgyptAir issued directives prohibiting transportation of live primates

for research. For the first time in years, no primates were brought to

the U.S. for research on a U.S.-based passenger airline.

 

During the past two years, nearly 90% of the primates brought to the

U.S. for research were transported on just four foreign airlines. One of

those airlines - China Airlines - implemented an embargo on primate

shipments, effective September 5, 2000. At present, the remaining three

airlines - Air China, Air France, and China Eastern Airlines - are the

only major carriers of primates to the U.S.

 

In the past decade, about 10,000 nonhuman primates, some of them

captured from the wild, were transported by commercial airlines to the

U.S. for the purpose of experimentation each year. Animals shipped long

distances as cargo suffer from cramped conditions, inadequate

ventilation, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Suffering and death

can result. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,

in 1999, 130 shipments of monkeys were imported to the U.S., and

approximately 70 monkeys died in route or during quarantine after

arrival.

 

You Can Help!

 

We've seen that foreign-based airlines can be very sensitive to the

desires of the American public. Please contact the following airlines

and urge them to place an embargo on transporting nonhuman primates for

research purposes. (Letters are most effective because they can be

forwarded to the home office.) Tell the airlines that you will consider

their involvement in the primate trade when making future flight

arrangements.

 

Perina Wan, Assistant General Manager

Air China

150 E. 52nd Street, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10022

212-371-9898 (phone)

212-935-7951 (fax)

 

Christopher Korenke, VP and General Manager

Air France

125 W. 55th Street

New York, NY 10019-5384

212-830-4000 (phone)

212-830-4195 (fax)

 

China Eastern Airlines

55 S. Lake Avenue, Suite 120

Pasadena, CA 91101-0267

(Write only; letters will be forwarded)

 

Other Foreign Airlines Shipping Primates:

 

Aeroflot Russian Airlines

630 5th Avenue, Suite 1710

New York, NY 10111

888-340-6400

 

Ethiopian Airlines

405 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10174

800-445-2733

 

Japan Airlines

655 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10022

212-310-1221

 

Philippine Airlines

447 Sutter Street

San Francisco, CA 94108

415-391-0270

 

Letters are most effective; see below for a sample. For further

information, contact Dena Jones of the Animal Protection Institute at

916-731-5521 or email " djones. " Pre-printed post cards

are available for distribution.

____________________________

 

 

(Sample Letter)

 

 

Dear ________,

 

 

I am outraged to learn that your airline has transported live monkeys

destined for laboratory experimentation as cargo in the baggage hold of

passenger flights.

 

 

Some of these animals have been captured from the wild, while others

were bred in captivity. All are subjected to stress due to cramped

conditions, temperature fluctuations, inadequate ventilation, and noise.

Death during the flights, which with layovers may last 48 hours or more,

is not unusual.

 

Major U.S. airlines such as Delta, TWA, and United, in addition to many

foreign airlines, refuse to carry nonhuman primates for research. Please

end your involvement in this practice which causes misery and suffering

to tens of thousands of animals each year. Be assured that I will

consider your response when choosing an air carrier in the future.

 

Sincerely,