Sinclair Research Center

Sinclair Research Center is a contract research organization (CRO) and laboratory animal breeding company.

Contents

Overview

Firms hire CROs to conduct animal toxicity tests for agrochemicals, petrochemicals, household products, pharmaceutical drugs and toxins. Sinclair is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri with biomedical research facilities in Auxvasse, Missouri and miniature swine breeding facilities in Missouri and Maine. Originally located on 543 acres in Columbia, the company was formed in 1965 by the University of Missouri (UMC). Its primary function was to provide laboratory animal research support for the University with funding from university research grants. By the the early 1990's, most of Sinclair's clients were coming from the private sector; concurring with a decline of university funding. Sinclair was fully privatized in March of 1994 as a CRO and animal breeding facility.

Animal testing

Sinclair Research Center does animal testing.

Animals by species, numbers & locations

• Auxvasse, Missouri

For links to copies of this facility's U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports indicating species, number of animals used and other information visit Stop Animal Experimentation Now Facility Reports and Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection reports. This Web site lists each of the 50 states; each state's name links to biomedical research facilities in that state, and to PDF copies of government documents where the facilities must report their animal usage.

Miniature swine breeding

Sinclair breeds miniature swine for use in laboratories. They operate two miniature swine production facilities in Columbia, Missouri and Windham, Maine. According to its website, the state-of-the-art Missouri facility is environmentally friendly with computerized fresh air ventilation which recovers 80% of the energy from exhaust. The new facility is tailored specifically for the special needs of miniature swine, based on 40 years of swine production experience. This includes an integrated socialization and enrichment program which emphasizes daily human contact, routine treats, toys, visual contact with adjacent pens, elimination of nose to nose contact in young animals and maintaining established social hierarchies. Therefore, stress associated with weaning, and regrouping are greatly minimized. Animal flow is tightly controlled, animal and people friendly.

Animal cruelty & welfare violations

Iams pet products/Proctor & Gamble

For 10 months in 2002 and 2003, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) conducted an undercover investigation at Sinclair Research Center, a contract laboratory for Iams pet food. The investigation found dogs who had gone crazy from intense confinement in barren steel cages and cement cells. Sick dogs and cats were left to languish in their cages without veterinary care; including dogs who had had chunks of muscle hacked from their thighs. Dogs had also been surgically debarked. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found 40 violations of the Animal Welfare Act; including failure to provide veterinary care, pain relief, adequate space and proper training. Sinclair Research Center paid a penalty of $33,000. , After intense pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and its supporters, Iams agreed to sever its ties with Sinclair Research Center and end invasive and terminal experiments on dogs and cats. See also Proctor & Gamble, section 7.

Contact

Sinclair Research Center
PO Box 658
Columbia, MO 65205

Guy Bouchard
Phone #: 573-387-4400
Fax #: 573-387-4404
Email: info@sinclairresearch.com

Website: http://www.sinclairresearch.com/

Articles & sources

SourceWatch articles

• Proctor & Gamble
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
• Animal testing
• Medical Industrial Complex
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Pharmaceutical industry

References