SANTA CRUZ, CA, May 20, 2016 – Santa Cruz Biotech (SCBT) ahas been fined $3.5 million and agreed to give up its animal dealer license and close its research laboratory, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees research facilities. Photo: A goat at Santa Cruz Biotechnology in April of 2011.

The penalty is the largest in the history of Animal Welfare Act enforcement, said Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), a nonprofit research watchdog that monitors illegal activities in U.S. research laboratories.SAEN first exposed the violations of federal law at SCBT with news coverage in 2008 and has filed multiple complaints with the USDA against SCBT.According to the USDA email:"On May 19, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. entered into a settlement agreement, otherwise known as a consent decision . . . The consent decision provides that Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. is not admitting or denying that it has violated the AWA, and contains an order that includes a provision to cease and desist from violating the AWA, assessment of a $3.5 million civil penalty, revocation of its dealer’s license effective December 31, 2016, and agreement to submit a letter to cancel its research registration by May 31, 2016."The USDA communication goes on to say:"APHIS filed complaints against Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. on July 19, 2012; November 4, 2014; and August 7, 2015 for allegedly failing to maintain the basic standards of the AWA on multiple occasions.""This precedent setting action by the USDA is not only the largest penalty ever issued, but with the closure of the Santa Cruz Biotech lab and their dealer facility as well, the abuse of thousands of animals has ended forever," said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Co-Founder SAEN (Stop Animal Exploitation NOW). "We cannot adequately applaud the actions of the USDA."See also: http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/ca/res-fr-ca-scb.html Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN)