Created by William Lane-Petter
18 Jul 1955
Description:

'CONFIDENTIAL

...

The four organisations invited to attend accepted the invitation and were represented as follows -

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Mr. A.W. Moss - Chief Secretary

Major R.C.G. Hancock - Chief Veterinary Officer

Mr. F. Salmon - Manager, Animals Hostel, London airport.

The Research Defence Society

Dr. P. Eckstein, Department of Anatomy, Birmingham University Medical School.

British Overseas Airways Corporation

Mr. Engledew.

Shamrock Farms (Great Britain) Ltd.

Mr. E.V. Lonsdale.

...

2. Present position and need for recommendations:

Dr. Lane-Petter referred to the disaster at London Airport on 1st January as drawing attention to the conditions in which monkeys were travelling. In America great interest had been stirred up by the Animal Welfare Institute who had followed up their reports on the shocking condition in which monkeys were being received by constructive proposals for improvements in the size of cages, numbers of animals per cage, etc.

Now the demand was so great that inexperienced dealers were trading in monkeys and showing very little regard to fitness of the animals for export and their conditions of travel. An additional danger to the existing competitive undercutting amongst dealers was the possibility of airlines undercutting freight charges with corresponding worsening of conditions of travel.

... Dr. Lane-Petter had been greatly impressed on a visit to London airport by the arrangements made there by the R.S.P.C.A. for the care of monkeys in transit and by the efforts made by B.O.A.C. to ensure that the animals were transported as humanely as possible. It was felt, however, that satisfactory thought conditions were at London Airport, this was not getting at the source of the trouble and that there was an obligation on those using the animals to see that they were transported as comfortably as possible. The best means of achieving this seemed to the M.R.C. to call a conference representing animal users, experts in animal welfare and those responsible for transportation. The M.R.C. hoped that the outcome of the conference would be agreement on the best possible way of transporting animals from overseas and the formulation of appropriate recommendations to this end.

Mr. Whittaker drew attention to what might appear to be ommisions of interested parties from the Conference. The Council had purposely not invited representatives from the Commonwealth Relations Office and the Colonial Office though these Government Departments were aware that this meeting was being held. ... The Indian Government and the Governments of other countries or territories from which monkeys were being exported would be strongly recommended to issue permits for monkeys only to those who were prepared to accept the conditions and standards laid down. The Council were convinced that the Indian Government would prefer, for various reasons, not to have anything to do with the export of monkeys and would not themselves lay down standards for the issue of export permits, but there was reason to hope they would accept recommendations put forward from such a Conference as this and make the export of monkeys conditional upon these recommendations being adopted.

...

In general discussion it was clear that the meeting felt there was immediate need for recommendations on the shipping of monkeys by air. Mr. Salmon and Major Hancock, who had both had long experience in this field, drew attention to the rapid deterioration in conditions of travel since the steep rise in the demand for monkeys for poliomyelitis research which began in the U.S.A. about two years ago...

...

3. Recommendations.

In making recommendations the Chairman sounded a note of warning. It must be borne in mind that any standards laid down would concern only monkeys required by British users and monkeys transported by British air lines. It must also be remembered that the conditions laid down must not be so strict that the transport of monkeys would be lost to British air lines and diverted to foreign air lines with lower standards.

When the recommendations were submitted to the Indian and other Governments they might be asked to make them applicable to the export of monkeys to countries other than Britain.

There was general agreement that recommendations were required on all aspects of the trade in monkeys from catching to actual shipment. Specific recommendations were made as follows:-

(a) General requirements:

(i) No monkeys should be shipped under 6 months of age or under 4lbs. in weight.

(ii) That no obviously pregnant monkey be shipped.

(iii) That sexes be segregated.

(iv) That each cage contain only monkeys of uniform weight.

(v) That large adult monkeys be shipped in separate crates.

(b) Trapping: In India monkeys were netted and taken to Delhi. This might involve a journey of several days and it was desirable that proper attention should be paid to the care and feeding of monkeys at this stage to prevent debilitation.

(c) Holding: Monkeys were kept in Delhi in holding cages for approximately six or seven days and were sorted out in sizes and weights. This was in fact actual practice but it was desirable to include a recommendation for a seven-day holding period. There would, of course, be the risk of epidemics but this would have to be carried. So far as tuberculosis was concerned infection had been found to be less than one-half per cent if the monkeys were caught at a distance from towns but approximately fifty per cent if caught near a town.

(d) Veterinary certificates: There was a great need for appropriate recommendations regarding certificates of fitness for export. Certificates of fitness were known to be issued without sight of the animals.

(e) Cages or crates: The best cage at present in use seemed satisfactory and might be adopted as a standard and illustrated in the final recommendations. (Details:- Size 12" (deep) x 22" (high) x 36" (long), overall measurement; duckboard (not wire netting) flooring; wire netting front; no handles.

The cages should bear a clear note of the numbers and weights of the monkeys to be carried as follows:-

12 monkeys at 4 lbs. each

11 monkeys at 5 lbs. each

10 monkeys at 6 lbs. each

9 monkeys at 7 lbs. each

8 monkeys at 8 lbs. each

(Dr. Eckstein considered that this standard cage would be improved by increasing the height to 30" or 36".)

For monkeys over 8 lbs. in weight larger cages were recommended.

(f) Feeding and care in flight: The importance of keeping to the same food throughout was emphasised. Various types of diet (including fruit) had been tried and experience had shown that soaked gram gave the best results; having considerable water content it was an ideal food for monkeys in flight as giving them water whilst travelling was extremely difficult. The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, however, required that cages be scraped clear of gram before leaving London Airport and barley and wheat fed to the monkeys; this was understood to be required by local conditions in America and not because there was any objection to the diet. The use of gram obviated the difficulty of ensuring maintenance of a standard diet manufactured in India and it had the advantage of being obtainable in India, England and America. It was recognised that feeding on the ground was more satisfactory than feeding in flight.

(g) Stops: It was felt that recommendations were also desirable in connection with stops. The need to give sufficient recouping time en route had to be set against the desirability of keeping the monkeys in travelling cages for as short a time as possible and getting them to their destination as quickly as possible. Major Hancock and Mr. Salmon drew attention to the large percentage of cause of death of monkeys after arrival given as "severe stress".

...

5. Completion of recommendations:

Attention was drawn to a report in THE TIMES of 18th July regarding a quota scheme being introduced by the Indian Government for the export of monkeys for medical research to the U.S.A., Britain, Australia and Canada. Requests for exports would be made by the Governments of each country who would have to guarantee that the monkeys would be humanely treated during transit. Other European Governments were understood to be applying for monkey export quotas. The present system under which permission of the Indian Government was required for every consignment of monkeys would continue meanwhile but from 1st September, 1955, the more liberal export system would be introduced by the quota allocation. It was, therefore, essential that the recommendations from this Conference by passed to the Indian Government by 1st September, 1955.'