As expected, more and more people are speaking out tonight about the primate research center in New Iberia.

This, of course, after the humane society showed the nation what their undercover investigation revealed.

While UL Lafayette officials say their facility complies with both federal and state laws, the Governor is encouraging them to make sure all the animals in that facility are being treated properly.

"The most important thing right now is to get that info to the USDA and let them do their job, whether that's a site inspection or whatever they need to do to make sure that every single one of those primates is being treated properly" says Jindal.

The Humane Society is now pushing for a new federal law called the great ape protection act that should help further protect the primates.

They are the images seen nationwide, undercover video from the New Iberia research center, which is owned by the University of Louisiana, and provides a facility for primate research.

"This is not about promoting the use of animals for biomedical research. It's about providing quality use of the common industry practice of testing pharmaceuticals prior to human consumption" says Dr. Joseph Savoie.

UL President Joseph Savoie defends the research facility and all that they do,

Despite allegations from the Humane Society which claims the undercover video shows signs of abuse and cruelty.

Doctor Savoie says clinicians informed him of what would be seen,  and how it might be misconstrued by the untrained eye.

"They prepared me for what kind of things might be there and how that might be misinterpreted"

Scenes where clinicians appear to be striking a chimp in the teeth with a pipe are hard to construed as anything but abuse.

"The intent there was to use a reflex where he would open his mouth and they would place the bar in his mouth so that they could incubate him" explains Veterinarian Danna Hasselschwart.

Other scenes show emotionally distraught chimps swaying in their cages,  and others with scars from self inflicted wounds.

Officials say the chimps are observed until the wounds are healed, or until the episodes are over. If the episodes last too long, the chimps are given drugs given to humans to treat OCD, depression, or even harder drugs like valium.

But those with the research center say their intentions are for the well being of the animals.

"The entire purpose of my staff is to implement the environmental enrichment plan and to cater to the needs, the psychological well being of the animals" says Babett Fotenot Head of Behavioral Sciences.

How well they're doing that job will soon be investigated by the USDA.

Katie Johnson