Puerto Rico bars construction of Monkey breeding plant

A judge in Puerto Rico has barred the construction of a controversial monkey-breeding facility.



Nine residents of Guayama in southern Puerto Rico had filed lawsuit against the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals.



Judge Juan Frau Escudero ruled that construction permits should not have been awarded because the monkey-breeding facility would be built on land reserved for agricultural purposes.



The residents had argued Bioculture Limited, the company planning the facility, failed to hold public hearings or submit a full environmental impact statement.



However, Bioculture denied the allegations and has said it would appeal the ruling.



The company plans to build a facility that would hold at least 3,000 macaque monkeys and supply them to pharmaceutical companies for research.