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In one instance in 2021, 25 of 60 pigs used in a study had devices that were the wrong size surgically implanted into their heads. It was an accident that internal documents and people familiar with the matter indicated could have been avoided if researchers were given the proper time to prepare for the experiment.
In two other incidents, Neuralink researchers accidentally implanted a device on the wrong vertebrae of two pigs in two separate surgeries, which could have been avoided if the researchers had simply counted the vertebrae before beginning the surgeries. The fact that it happened twice reportedly frustrated fellow researchers.
Reuters also identified four experiments, involving a total of 86 pigs, that were spoiled by human errors. The errors meant that experiments yielded less valuable research results and had to be repeated, requiring the use of yet more animals. Three people who spoke with Reuters attributed the errors to the researchers working in a "pressure-cooker environment."
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But it's OK because move fast/break stuff in the pursuit of scientific progress, right? Well....
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In all, Neuralink has killed roughly 1,500 animals since 2018, including pigs, monkeys, and more than 280 sheep, according to Reuters. The outlet noted that a rival, Synchron, has made better progress using far fewer animals—only about 80 sheep. Like Neuralink, Synchron launched in 2016, but it has less lofty goals for its device. Still, the company's device allowed paralyzed people to text and type with their thoughts after the company got approval to run human clinical trials in 2021. Musk recently said he hopes Neuralink will get regulatory approval to start clinical trials in six months.
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TL;DR: Musk's company, under direct pressure from Musk himself, killed 19x more animals than a rival company, often after said animals suffered much more than was necessary, and often due to researchers not been given time to prepare for experiments properly, and
still is technologically further behind the aforementioned more humane research company.