Palamur Biosciences in Telangana under fire for housing over 1,200 animals; rehabilitation ordered

Mahabubnagar/Hyderabad: A Central government-appointed inspection committee has called for urgent regulatory action against Palamur Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Mahabubnagar, following damning revelations of animal cruelty.

The committee has recommended the immediate removal and rehabilitation of over 1,200 animals housed at the facility, including beagles, pigs, monkeys and cattle.

The findings, released in a press statement by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India on Thursday, follow an extensive inspection of the company’s premises conducted earlier this week.

Whistleblower report triggers action

The move comes just two weeks after PETA India made public a whistleblower report detailing severe physical and psychological harm inflicted on laboratory animals at Palamur Biosciences. The biotech firm is involved in the breeding of beagles and conducting animal testing for pharmaceutical development.

Following the report, PETA urged the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA), under the Department of Animal Husbandry, to intervene and rescue all animals from the facility.

1,232 animals found, more than what is allowed

According to PETA, the inspection team found that Palamur Biosciences was using a wide range of animals for experimentation, including beagles, pigs, sheep, cows, monkeys, rats, mice and rabbits, even though the facility had denied the presence of some of these species.

Shockingly, the company failed to present an inventory of the animals in its care. Inspectors manually counted over 1,232 animals, a figure significantly exceeding the number of animals approved by CCSEA.

The report also highlighted repeated violations of regulatory norms, including the reuse of animals in painful experiments within weeks, a practice forbidden under CCSEA guidelines.

73 dogs living in distressing conditions

The inspection team found 73 dogs in a so-called "rehabilitation" area, which offered no improvement over the bleak conditions endured by animals used for breeding and testing. In many cases, animals designated for rehabilitation were subjected to the same environment and potential distress.

Rehabilitation of animals

The committee concluded that the situation warranted immediate removal and rehabilitation of all animals to prevent further suffering. It also recommended a thorough review of Palamur Biosciences’ registration and breeding licenses due to serious and repeated violations of animal welfare standards.

“The situation demands urgent attention, particularly with respect to the removal and rehabilitation of animals to prevent further pain, distress or suffering,” the inspection report stated.

PETA demands swift government action

Dr Anjana Aggarwal, scientist and research policy advisor at PETA India, expressed concern over the delay in action. “It has been almost 15 days since egregious cruelty to animals at Palamuru was reported and over 10 since the government-appointed inspectors visited, yet the damning report has yet to be acted upon,” she said.

PETA has called upon the CCSEA to swiftly rescue all animals from the facility and relocate them to loving homes and reputable sanctuaries, and to revoke the company’s license to breed and experiment on animals.