Charles River Labs: A research lab expands its operations in Sherbrooke, Quebec
(Thanks to the Quebec government)

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. announced that it
intends to build a new facility in
Sherbrooke, Quebec, to support the company's expanding preclinical
services business. Located in the newly
constructed Sherbrooke Biomedical Park, Charles River's newest
facility will provide animal testing services to
the international pharmaceutical industry. Was the public consulted
regarding this project?

Selling lab animals for profit: An ugly business

The world's largest supplier of animals for laboratory
experimentation also supplies a range of biomedical
products and research and development outsourcing services for use in
the pharmaceutical industry. Charles
River specializes in creating research animal models using mice,
rats, and rabbits for researchers throughout the
world. Over half of this business comes from small laboratory animal
production and sales.

A greedy multinational with no compassion for animals
In the USA, two chimpanzees, Ashley and Rex, died unnecessarily, and
a third, Topsy, suffered while in the
care of Alamodorgo Primate Facility, operated by Charles River Labs.
In the UK, Charles River has been the
target of animal rights activists. Its Shamrock Farm in West Sussex
closed in 2000 following a 15-month
campaign by animal rights proponents. Animal research is mostly
driven by profits, as corporations make
billions of dollars selling often useless, unsafe products. At
universities, the career advancement of scientists and
the convenient and unrestricted use of lab animals are the main
drivers of continuing animal research.

Good news: Business is not so great anymore!

With 8,000 workers worldwide, Charles River Laboratories reported a
2006 net loss of $55.8 million on revenue
of $1.1 billion. Its employees must realize that in addition to the
shame of working for a multinational firm
selling lab animals to the vivisection industry, their company has
much to lose in an era where animal
experimentation and testing are viewed very poorly on both scientific
and social grounds. Developing
alternatives to lab animals could be a profitable business for
Charles River, but selling lab animals is so much
easier, and Charles River Labs have been in that ugly business over
half a century.

Quebec: A hellhole for animals?

Good people don't want companies profiting from the misery of animals
to grow and thrive in Quebec. Quebec
already welcomes puppy mills, seal hunting, and large pig farms, as
well as the highest concentration of research
labs in Canada. What next? When is it enough? Understandably, the
City of Sherbrooke is eager for new sales
and tax revenues and the new jobs Charles River will bring. Does the
City realize the kind of companies it is
attracting to Quebec? Is this the kind of business Quebecers want as
a model of socially responsible economic
development? Do we want an animal abuse–based economy in Quebec?
Animal research and testing—one of
the worst forms of animal exploitation—must go.

What you can do
Let your local representative, major, deputy, and the media know you
don't want companies like Charles River
Labs in your province. Help the Canadians for the Advancement of
Health Research to shut them down.

We need your support. Visit our website at: http://www.cah-
research.com.
CAHR P.O. Box 49125 7275 Sherbrooke Est Montreal QC H1N 1E9 Canada