Covance Drops Lawsuit Against PETA

When PETA conducted an 11-month investigation into the deplorable cruelty in Covance's testing labs and went public with its findings—including damning videotape footage of workers who are slapping, choking, throwing, threatening, and psychologically tormenting monkeys—the billion-dollar animal-testing giant hoped to muzzle PETA by carrying out its bullying tactics in court. The attempt to stop PETA from publicizing the videotape footage and other evidence of the cruelty toward monkeys in its Vienna, Virginia, labs ended when the company dropped its lawsuit.

With the settlement agreement, PETA can continue to show the critical videotape and can cooperate with the federal investigations that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration, and the Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County are conducting into Covance in response to PETA's complaints. PETA agreed to the settlement after learning that some of the workers involved in the abuse have been dismissed from Covance. Although Covance sought damages, attorney's fees, and court costs, PETA is not required to pay a dime to the company.

The settlement comes less than four months after a British judge—who referred to the abuse shown on the videotape as “highly disturbing”— dismissed a similar Covance lawsuit against PETA Europe and ordered Covance to pay court costs of £50,000 (more than $80,000) in that case.

PETA will continue to hold Covance and the USDA accountable for what primates endure in Covance laboratories and will forge ahead with a vigorous campaign featuring demonstrations, advertisements, public service announcements, celebrity endorsements, and more!

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You Can Help

• Please take a moment to spread the word about Covance to caring friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family members.
• Write to Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns using our automatic e-mail form. Your letters do make a difference.
• Please contact your senators and implore them to investigate the failure of the USDA to enforce the Animal Welfare Act at Covance.