McCartney in lab protest

Music

13:30 10 March 2006

Sir Paul McCartney has written a letter to the governor of Arizona - protesting against an animal testing lab.

The former Beatle - who owns a ranch in Chandler, in the US state - says he doesn't want drug developer Covance Inc. to open a laboratory there.

The pharmaceutical giant submitted plans last October to build a 400,000-square-foot facility for clinical animal testing.

But animal rights campaigners PETA claim an undercover video, filmed last year, shows abuse of monkeys in Covance's Vienna laboratory.

In the letter to Governor Janet Napolitano, McCartney writes: "Arizona has a special place in my heart."

The legendary musician also explains how his ranch was where his late wife Linda, a vegetarian and ardent animal rights campaigner, spent her last days before she died of breast cancer in 1998.

He adds: "It is for her and all of us who want to protect animals from harm that I am writing to ask you not to let Covance, an animal testing laboratory, set up shop in Chandler."

Spokeswoman for the firm, Laurene Isip, has denied the cruelty claims and insists PETA are manipulating McCartney for their own gains.

She said in a statement: "It is unfortunate that PETA is using Mr. McCartney to spread their false allegations against our company.

"Covance conducts government required medical research to find medicines for diseases like breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and many others."

(c) BANG Media International