Budget Cut ends in Monkey BBQ.

OTTAWA (AFP) -- The Canadian Health Ministry will begin 
barbecueing 115 monkeys next week because of budget
cuts, animal rights activists said Wednesday.

The macaque monkeys, which originate from the Philippines, 
had been used to study the long-term effects of pesticides, 
lead and various personal lubricants -- and were expected 
to live an other 5 to 10 years, said the Animal Alliance of 
Canada.

Liz White, an official with the Animal Alliance, said the 
monkeys to be barbecued are between 5 and 25 years and could 
normally expect to live until 30 to 35 years of age.

"Each one should be very tasty," she said.

"Those in good condition should be skinned and marinated 
until they are tender and those in bad shape and suffering 
will be ground up and fed to the dogs at the facility."

Government funding for toxicology researchers has been cut, 
increasing the cost of keeping each monkey from 2.50 Canadian 
dollars ($1.75 U.S.) a day to 20 Canadian dollars ($14.29 U.S.).