Animal rights group sues Hendry Co. over new monkey breeding facilities

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HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. – An animal rights group is suing Hendry County after it granted permits for two new animal breeding sites. The two new sites would be the third and fourth monkey testing facilities in the county.

Kelsey Eberly with the Animal Legal Defense Fund says the county violated the state’s Sunshine Law by not notifying and consulting landowners before allowing the farms to be built in the county.

“They have many concerns such as property values going down and ground water being contaminated with primate waste and noise and the dangers of primates escaping from facilities, which has happened at other primate breeding facilities in the past,” said Eberly.

Meanwhile the county maintains they’ve done nothing wrong. In a statement sent to WINK News, Hendry County says “the county did not violate the Sunshine Law.”

Homeowners near the new proposed sites don’t agree.

“The county has never once in 15 years of approving these primate breeding facilities provided landowners with the opportunity to speak up and give their opinions about the facilities,” said Eberly.

Both the county and the defense fund have filed motions for summary judgements. They will have their chance to present their side in court Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Eberly says if the Animal Legal Defense Fund wins, the county would have to take back the permits they have already issued and hold public hearings before wither project could move forward.

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