People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has raised serious allegations of animal abuse and rights violations at Palamur Biosciences, Pvt Ltd, based out of Secunderabad and Mahabubnagar. These allegations were reportedly made in a whistleblower’s exposé.
PETA India’s letter to Dr Abhijit Mitra, chairperson of the Committee for the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), said that it had obtained video footage, photos, and insider testimonies from former employees documenting the alleged abuse at the Mahabubnagar-based facility between 2021 and 2023.
The allegations are based on congested and unsanitary conditions in the animal pen, painful tests and procedures, as well as medical neglect. The report goes on to elaborate on the mental and physical stress suffered by the livestock in the facility.
PETA India Scientist and Research Policy Advisor Dr Anjana Aggarwal broke the report on Tuesday, June 10.
Overcrowding of dogs, callous treatment
Dr Aggarwal claimed that roughly 1500 beagles were allegedly being kept in a space suitable for 800, often forcing four dogs into cages designed for two. These cramped conditions led to frequent fights between the animals, causing wounds that the facility failed to address with any medical first aid whatsoever.
Reports also allege callous treatment of the animal subjects, with dogs allegedly being kicked around and injured by staff when cages are closed on their limbs without caution. Such incidents have also caused fractures to the animals. The staff neglected these wounds as well, the report claims.
Experiments at the facility also regularly result in animal subjects developing infections and abscesses after being injected with testing compounds. The report alleges that these medical concerns were all neglected as well, leading to animal subjects suffering open wounds, grievous pain, loss of mobility, and significant weight loss.
Another serious allegation the report makes is the failure of staff to properly sedate the animals prior to euthanasia using thiopentone, making the procedure incredibly painful and distressing for the animal subjects. Video footage of the same on the social media platform X depicts dogs lying in their own blood.
Illicit pig breeding and abuse
Despite lacking a proper breeding license, the facility allegedly imported Göttingen minipigs from Denmark and euthanised newborn piglets through painful intracardiac injections. Though company policy claims mandatory playtime and enrichment periods for pigs, these measures are reportedly null and void on the ground, unless a client is present.
Failure to report monkeypox outbreak
Dr Aggarwal further stated that the facility failed to report a monkeypox outbreak in some wild rhesus macaques acquired from Rajasthan, euthanising those infected and continuing to use others for scientific experiments. This represents an immense risk for the staff present at the facility, as well as public health at large. This kind of callous and reckless behaviour ignores all medical procedures and violates standard cautionary measures.
PETA’s demands
Calling for regulations and immediate intervention from authorities, Dr Aggarwal warned that any delay or inaction from authorities would allow animal abuse to go on. “These actions not only flout Indian animal welfare regulations but also pose biosecurity and ethical risks.”
“The company’s practices are entirely out of step with global developments, such as the US government’s recent decision to phase out animal testing,” the letter said, referring to recent developments in the biosciences field that have seen organisations like the US – based Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institute of Health (NIH) phase out animal testing for other human relevant medical alternatives.
The animal rights group further submitted formal complaints to the National GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority (NGCMA), Committee for the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) regarding the allegations.
The group has demanded the suspension of the laboratory’s animal testing license, closure of its breeding ground, and legal repercussions under relevant sections. PETA has further offered to aid in the process of rehabilitation of the surviving animals.
PETA claims that these are not isolated incidents and, in totality, represent widespread noncompliance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and CCSEA guidelines.
Palamur Biosciences, Pvt Ltd claims to be “a provider of end-to-end preclinical services in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and medical device industry.”
The company is based out of Telangana, with its registered office in Secunderabad and a GLP Test office in Mahabubnagar. The company also runs an office in the state of Maryland in the United States. Its facilities are ISO – certified, having received state funding from the Telangana Life Sciences Foundation.
| Edited by Syeda Faiza Kirmani | 
