> As a medical student in Britain about to enter a course of animal
> experiments I must agree with the above posting completely. It is far
> too simplistic to picture scientists who work with animals as some
> sort of pschopaths. The fact is that if the discomfort for the animal
> involved becomes too great, that animal must be put down, no matter
> how inportant it is to the experiment. There is absolutely no
> relishment of any pain caused, and indeed suffering in general is
> avoided to as great an extent as possible.Nice words - virtualy word for word that of the Research Defence Society. As a medial student, don't you think you are somewhat underqualified to speak about what does on in commerical labs?
BTW. The employees of the Huntingdon Research Center that were secretly videoed beating beagles in the Channel 4 "Countryside Undercover" programme, are due to appear in Huntingdon Magistrates Court on 29th May.
You might also find interesting a statement put out by the Institute of
Animal Technicians (IAT) follwing the programme:
"The unprofessional, aggressive and brutal handling of animals shown on the recent Channel 4 "Countryside Undercover - It's a Dogs Life"
programme has no place in United Kingdom laboratories. The Institute of
Animal Technology condemns the actions of the individuals concerned.The Institute of Animal Technology supports and promotes the highest
standards of laboratory animal care and welfare.
In the condust of their professional duties animal technicians have a
moral and legal obligation to promote and safeguard the welfare of the
animals in their charge.
Any member of the Institute of Animal Technology found to be failing in
this duty will be liable to suspension or expulsion from the Institute
and the revocation of their professional qualifications.
Again, nice words - but the reality is somewhat different as usually.
Procedures and policies are not followed and animals do suffer. There is no question about this. > The most crucial thing about any experiment with animals is that
> before it proceeds the scientist must consider whether what he is
> about to perform is justified, whether there is any way it can be
> avoided, and what is the way in which the least suffering can be
> caused to the animals. In Britain he or she must present this to the
> Home Office, a governmental department.
> > EVERY MINUTE SPENT ON OR WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL
> > MUST BE OF PERFECT SCIENTIFIC OR : EDUCATIONAL VALUE.
> That must hold true in every case absolutely without exception.
The so-called Scientific Procedures Act has done nothing to secure the
welfare of animals in labs. No experiment has ever been turned down by the home office and nobody has ever been prosecuted for an offence. It remains almost impossible to inspect what goes on in labs, except by infiltration or by breaking in.
> The use of animals has been crucial in the development of many
> medical procedures and many drugs. It will remain so, though more
> and more can and should be done in alternative ways.
Animal experiments are considered by many to be unreliable and a danger to human health. Many products have been passed as safe after animal tests only to injure or kill humans on reaching the market. There are a growing number of reliable alternatives to animal experiments. Years of animal tests have produced little of value and there is no way to know whether we would have made such discoveries and more had we not been wasting time trying to model the human species using other animals.
None.
