Animal deaths in Neuralink's research are real, and the welfare concerns are genuine. Records from UC Davis, obtained by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, document monkeys that suffered serious complications and were euthanized, and reports cite roughly 1,500 animals used since 2018. Musk's flat claim that "no monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant" is contested — PCRM says records show implant-related euthanizations, and it asked the SEC to investigate. Those are fair, serious criticisms. The countervailing facts: invasive brain-implant research requires animal testing by FDA expectations, euthanasia of test subjects is standard preclinical practice, Neuralink says early subjects were already terminal or near end-of-life, and USDA inspections to date reported no Animal Welfare Act violations at Neuralink's own facilities. The honest verdict is mixed: animal deaths and a disputed Musk statement are real, but "tortured" is contested framing, and the program operates within the standard, regulated reality of preclinical medical research.