An animal rights group has claimed that it has sent letter bombs to two UC Davis researchers. The UC Davis Police Department, Davis Police Department and other agencies are investigating the claim, and no suspicious packages have yet been detected.

The claim was made late on Saturday, Jan. 10, in a posting on an activist Web site. Police notified the two researchers named in the posting, both affiliated with the California National Primate Research Center, early on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 11.

“Such threats against our researchers are unacceptable, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms,” said Stan Nosek, vice chancellor for administration at UC Davis, who is responsible for oversight of animal research and care on campus.
Nosek urged anyone with information about the bomb threat to contact the UC Davis Police Department at (530) 752-1727.

All researchers, faculty and staff are advised to be vigilant in handling and opening mail, and to look out for suspicious packages, such as parcels that are unusually shaped, wrapped with a lot of tape or have excess postage. For information and tips on mail safety, see http://police.ucdavis.edu.

Anyone finding a suspect package should contact the UC Davis Police Department immediately.

Research involving animals benefits both human and animal health and is strictly regulated by federal law. The California National Primate Research Center is one of eight centers across the nation funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Research at the center includes studies on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, asthma, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.