People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was in downtown Chandler on Friday claiming drug-testing giant Covance has "killed dogs for Big Tobacco."
But according to company officials, along with counterprotestors wielding "we support Covance" signs, PETA is barking up the wrong tree.
Local and international animal rights groups have opposed Covance for years, charging that the contract laboratory company abuses test animals.
The company primarily conducts federally required clinical trials on drugs before they're approved for the market.
Covance requested last month to rezone a 38-acre parcel purchased last summer near Price and Germann roads in Chandler to make way for a 591,000-square-foot contract laboratory.
"My grandmother has Type II diabetes, my mom has hepatitis C," said Tempe resident Jake Schneble. "I have a lot of family members who have other ailments that are treated by drugs."
Schneble, along with a handful of friends, came to Chandler to protest Friday's protest and to offer another side of the animal-testing argument.
"For people passing by, it's a disservice to them to see only one of the points of view," he said.
About 20 people, including two PETA employees flown in from the group's Virginia headquarters, passed out leaflets claiming Covance has tested on beagles for tobacco companies and urging passers-by to voice opposition to city planners.
Covance spokeswoman Camilla Strongin said the company has never used beagles for any testing it has done for tobacco companies.
Chandler resident Romana Hobeck said she moved to the city from California because she thought it would be a nice place to raise her family. But she'll be returning if Covance comes to town, she said.
"If they're allowed to build here, I'm moving my whole family out of Chandler."
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