Arthur when he was out here with Gorilla Biscuits at Hermanns in Sydney.

Arthur Smilios of legendary hardcore outfit Gorilla Biscuits is enlisting the help of Congress to halt planned animal testing by the U.S. Army. In these horrific training exercises, vervet monkeys endure a forced drug overdose meant to simulate a nerve agent attack, which results in violent vomiting and seizures. In a letter to Congress, Smilios wrote that these horrific experiments would warrant cruelty to animals charges if performed outside of the laboratory, proving once again that "cats and dogs have all the luck."

Rep. Carolyn Maloney

2332 Rayburn House Office Building Washington D.C. 20515

Dear Congresswoman Maloney:

As a longtime advocate for animals, I was shocked to learn that the U.S. Army continues to poison dozens of vervet monkeys with enormous drug overdoses for a barbaric “show and tell” exercise in a monthly chemical attack preparation course at Maryland’s Aberdeen Proving Ground. The small, sensitive monkeys—who are each repeatedly subjected to this procedure for years—violently convulse, wretch and some even stop breathing. You can view portions of an Army-produced video of the procedure here: www.peta.org/army.

I understand that other military facilities use only lifelike human patient simulators and other non-animal methods for this kind of training. These methods more accurately replicate the human symptoms of a nerve agent attack, and are obviously more humane. Not only does this cruel procedure violate military animal welfare policies that prohibit wounding primates with chemical weapons for training and require the use of alternatives when available, but what is done to these monkeys would be criminal cruelty if it happened outside of a laboratory.

I know that you have consistently been an advocate for animals and hope you will take action to end the abuse of monkeys in this archaic training exercise.

Sincerely,

Arthur Smilios