Covance Sues PETA for Fraud, Conspiracy

[JackieO]

Covance Inc., a contract research company, on Monday said it is suing former employee Lisa Leitten and animal-rights group PETA on charges of fraud, contract violation and conspiracy.

Covance alleges that Leitten, on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, improperly gained employment at Covance's Vienna, Va., facility to videotape medical research. The company charges PETA with "engaging in a conspiracy with Ms. Leitten to harm the company's business." Leitten was a technician in Covance's primate toxicology department.

"This type of malicious activity by PETA, in which it conspires with individuals to lie about their intentions, to videotape and potentially disrupt medical research, and to then launch vile disinformation campaigns against pharmaceutical research companies, has got to stop," said James Lovett, Covance general counsel, in a statement.

..."The real criminal activity is what happens to those terrified monkeys everyday at Covance," Mary Beth Sweetland, director of research and investigations, told The Associated Press. "That is what we have revealed to the world, and that is what Covance doesn't want public. There is absolutely nothing proprietary about cruelty."


http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2005/06/06/ap2078583.html

http://covancecruelty.com

[salib]

1. lying about what?

That they have morals and will get photographic evidence? Nothing wrong there.

[Triana]

2. I'm more disgusted with Covance's conspiracy...

...to torture animals. I'm afraid I have to agree with Ms. Sweetland.

[shockra]

3. Jackasses.

Also:

"Covance said PETA's acts 'do nothing to improve the care of research animals and only serve to impede the development of safe and effective new medicines to treat HIV-AIDS, breast cancer, heart disease, leukemia, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases.'"

Oh, yes. They're just a bunch of saints, aren't they? At least the magical word "cure" wasn't used. The promise that a cure is "just around the corner" for so many diseases has been used so many times that it's starting to become meaningless. Pharmaceutical companies aren't eager to find cures, they kill the cash cow. Much better for them (infinitely more profitable) to create expensive new drugs that will have to be taken for the rest of one's life.

Ironically, finding ways to improve the symptoms of a disease temporarily, or by inches, is probably a much harder task than finding a way to cure it outright.

[Coventina]

9. bingo! Corporations sell us things that make us sick & then

sell us things to keep us alive so we continue to buy them.

It's all a big racket.

[expatriot]

4. See what we are up against? PETA needs our support. nt

[The Stranger]

8. Exactly -- who else would stand up to fight this?

The silence is deafening. . .

[Triana]

10. True. Much as I dislike their tactics sometimes...

...this is NOT one of those times. I wish I could send them $$$ but I just don't have it right now. They're on my list for when/if I ever get out from under the effects of bu$hit's Enronomy. :mad:

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

5. un-necessary torture-wrong for humans- wrong for animals

nobody wins the torture game.
In this day and age it is totally uncalled for, un-necessary, and barbaric.

GO PETA ! Let the people see the truth and make their own decisions...
...informed decisions about which companies and corporations they will support.

Thanks to groups like PETA we have ACCESS to viewing the "secret" practices of some very unethical "research" companies.
I say to those who work in labs that harm animals: Get a real job!


A country can be judged by the manor in which they treat their helpless..

We fall at the bottom of the list.

[livinginphotographs]

6. My gut tells me that this case will be thrown out in a heartbeat.

You would think all they'd need to do is show any jury the videotapes, and the sympathy for Covance will dry up pretty quickly.

[The Stranger]

7. Let the case shine an ever brighter light on what Covance is doing.

Spread the word.

GO PETA!!!!!!!

[Mizmoon]

11. PETA put animal rights on the map

I've heard many people here on DU criticize them ... but their tactics are very effective.

No one wears fur in manhattan without feeling a bit nervous.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

12. One of these days...

we will look back on our days of using primates -- especially chimps -- as guinea pigs for our science projects and weep for what we have done.

If you want to read a book that will change your life, check out:

Next of Kin: What Chimpanzees Have Taught Me About Who We Are
by Roger Fouts, Stephen Tukel Mills, Jane Goodall

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/068814862X/qid=1118156591/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/102-2308888-5534533


Fouts spent years teaching American Sign Language skills to chimps to see if they had the ability to learn language. Not only did they have the ability to learn language, but they were able to adapt it, and pass it along generationally. And one they had the skills to communicate with Fouts, they were able to express their inner lives.

And that's what will just break your heart.

Knowing that these sentient, intelligent, social, near-relatives of ours are kept alone in sterile cages with no physical comforts or stimulation and "experimented" on makes me absolutely crazy. Abu Ghraib cames to mind. :cry: :cry: :cry:

BTW, hi there Jackie O! Are we going to see you at the BA get together?? :hi:

[livinginphotographs]

13. And we'll look at those who defend the practice with

"But that's how it's always been done" with disdain, as we should.

One can only hope.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. The gods willing...

sooner than later.

I want to live to see the day we "retire" the last animal experimentee from this foul business. :hi:

[JackieO]

16. I love Jane Goodall

Hey Fury!

That book looks so cool and this is the second time in a few weeks that someone has recommended reading it. I should really check it out.

PM the details of the get together, I would love to go! :hi:

[Danieljay]

14. much better way of getting the message out than

pushing graphic comics on small children and telling them that their mothers slaughter animals as they leave the Nutcracker.

http://asmallvictory.net/archives/petafur1.html

PETA activists - including cuddly, costumed raccoons and foxes - are making guest appearances outside performances of The Nutcracker across the country this holiday season with a cheeky message of compassion. As children arrive to see the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy," some will be unaware that their mothers are already starring in a real-life horror story! PETA will be there to greet any fur-clad moms and their children with their newest anti-fur leaflet-PETA Comics presents..."Your Mommy Kills Animals!" Kids will see the bloody truth behind their moms’ pretentious pelts.


I have to support PETA on this one, but not the former. See, I too can be fair and balanced. Flame away.