Metro India News | Hyderabad 

In a chilling exposé, PETA India has uncovered distressing animal cruelty at Palamur Biosciences Pvt Ltd, a Telangana-based contract research laboratory conducting drug, pesticide, and medical device testing, primarily for international clients. Whistleblowers describe harrowing conditions—dogs, pigs, and monkeys subjected to overcrowding, neglect, and brutal procedures, raising grave ethical and public health concerns.

Whistleblower accounts reveal that Palamur houses around 1,500 beagles in a space designed for only 800, causing severe overcrowding and frequent fights. Injuries, particularly ear wounds, were allegedly left untreated without proper care or pain relief. Staff were reportedly seen kicking dogs, shutting cage doors on their legs, and handling them so roughly that fractures occurred.

Testing procedures at Palamur reportedly involve injecting beagles subcutaneously with test compounds, often leading to infections, abscesses, weight loss, and difficulty moving. Some dogs developed ulcers in their mouths and intestines, with distressing footage showing them lying in pools of blood. The facility allegedly kills dogs using thiopentone without sedation, prolonging their agony.

The exposé also highlights violations involving Göttingen minipigs imported from Denmark. Although Palamur lacked a breeding license, a minipig reportedly gave birth, leading the head veterinarian to order the killing of eight to ten piglets via intracardiac injections. While pigs were supposed to receive playtime for enrichment, the facility allegedly provided this only when customers visited; otherwise, they remained confined except for experiments.

Palamur also allegedly sourced wild rhesus macaques from a supplier in Rajasthan, some of which were reportedly infected with zoonotic pathogens, possibly monkeypox. Instead of transparently addressing the issue, the company allegedly killed the infected monkeys while continuing experiments on others, exposing workers to potential disease.

Dr. Anjana Aggarwal, PETA India’s Scientist and Research Policy Advisor, condemned Palamur’s practices and called for immediate government intervention, arguing that such facilities undermine scientific credibility while inflicting needless suffering.

PETA India has filed complaints with regulatory bodies such as the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), and National GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority (NGCMA), urging the termination of Palamur’s registration for animal testing, legal prosecution, and rehabilitation of surviving animals.