News Archive
Huntingdon Life Sciences Abuse Prosecution
As a postscript to our report on the government's "softly
softly" treatment of Huntingdon Life Sciences in the wake of the
Channel 4 documentary "It's a Dog's Life," comes the court's
treatment of the animal technicians shown striking, shaking and shouting
at beagles in the film.
Robert Waters and Andrew Marsh admitted charges of "cruelly terrifying
dogs" but were sentenced with community service and total costs of
£250 only. Uncaged, in common with the RSPCA, NAVS and other organisations,
have condemned these sentences as far too lenient, and deeply regret that
the law in this country seems unable or unwilling to punish such abuse
of animals appropriately at any level.
Meanwhile, an undercover researcher at Huntingdon Life Science's laboratory
in New Jersey, USA, has revealed yet more abuse. See our Procter
& Gamble page for more details.
Uncaged Save Consort Beagles
As a result of pressure from animal rights activists, Consort
Kennels, a major breeder and supplier of beagles to vivisection laboratories,
closed down in September.
Unfortunately, the Kennel's owners decided to sell the remaining dogs
off as "assets," the most likely buyers being, of course, the
experimenters. Over 170 dogs were being sold at £300 each, and Uncaged
felt unable to stand by and allow these animals to go to the labs. Despite
our doubts about giving money to the breeders we decided to buy four dogs.
The four dogs - named Willow, Eddie, Polly and Snap by their new owners
- have all been found good homes, but as they have spent their entire
lives in kennels they have a big adjustment to make. Three out of the
four have serious problems with their teeth, and all require house-training.
So far, all the beagles are responding well to a loving environment,
but it is shocking to think that their entire lives have been spent imprisoned,
never mind the fate that would have awaited them in the labs.
Despite the expense and the problems of re-adjustment the dogs (and their
owners) face, we are proud to have saved the lives of these individual
animals from vivisection and a certain early death. All the dogs from
Consort have now been rescued, but even 170 lives represent a drop in
the ocean when nearly three million animals are killed in British laboratories
every year. That is why Uncaged continue to devote our energies to changing
the minds of the public, changing the law and ending vivisection forever.
Government U-Turn
Many of you will have seen the reports in the UK press in October
about the government's failure to honour the pledges it made about laboratory
animals before the election.
Uncaged gave its backing to Labour in the general election as the major
party with the best policies on animal issues and since the election have
been lobbying the govenment and MPs continually about this very matter.
In response to these (belated, it has to be said) press reports, and the
public concern they engendered, Uncaged, People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals, Naturewatch and other organisations wrote a joint letter to
the government detailing the promises on which they appear to have reneged
and expressing our dismay at this apparent U-Turn.
You are less likely to have heard about Barry Horne, a prisoner for animal
rights offences, who spent more than six weeks on hunger strike in an
attempt to persuade the government to honour its pledge to hold a Royal
Commission of Inquiry into Vivisection. The Home Office finally agreed
to meet a delegation nominated by Barry to discuss this issue only after
his condition had deteriorated significantly, (we are informed he is now
recovering well). Having initially objected to the criminal records of
his nominated colleagues the government apparently agreed that as their
criminal records all related to animal rights actions, they would disregard
them in that context.
Although not everyone will agree with Barrys actions or tactics, there
can be no doubting his sincerity and commitment. It is also sad that his
hunger strike, which was surely newsworthy, received no coverage in the
national media: it seems that they are unwilling to give the animal rights
movement the comprehensive attention they give to many less serious issues.
(Joint letter to Mr Blair)
The Labour Party and Animal Experiments - a joint letter from animal
protection organisations
Thursday 23rd October 1997
Dear Mr Blair
It has become apparent that the Government has broken many of its promises
on "animals in the laboratory", as outlined in the document
"New Life For Animals".
Royal Commission
Our core concern is over the Governments U-Turn over its promise to
hold a Royal Commission " to review the effectiveness and justification
of animal experiments." This commitment to hold a Royal Commission
was confirmed only three weeks before the general election by Elliot
Morley. Since gaining power, the Labour Government has refused to implement
this promise.
For too long, those campaigning against cruelty to animals, and for
a more rational and effective approach to research, had been frustrated
by a Government more willing to pander to the wants of powerful corporate
lobby groups than stand up for what is right.
The prospect of a Royal Commission of Enquiry reresented an excellent
opportunity to make progress on one of the most controversial social
issues of our era.
The Government is now claiming that the current review of the Animal
(Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 being carried out by the Animal Procedures
Committee (APC) is an adequate substitute for the Royal Commission.
However, this is completely unsatisfactory. The remit of the review
is far too narrow, and the APC itself is dominated by proponents of
animal experimentation, often with a commercial interest and research
background in vivisection. To put it bluntly, we have no confidence
in the review whatsoever: it is simply a way of rubber-stamping present
practices rather than an unbiased and objective review.
Specific Areas of Animal Testing
In New Life For Animals, you stated: "Labour is totally committed
to stopping cosmetic testing on animals. But despite Labour's vocal
opposition to cosmetics testing, such experiments are set to run until
the year 2002. If Labour are really committed to stopping cosmetic testing
then licences must be withdrawn immediately and any animals involved
rehomed.
The Labour Government has refused to implement its pledges to ban the
Draize test, the LD50 test and alcohol and tobacco experiments, instead
preferring to call for a European or international ban. The reason given
for not acting unilaterally is to protect the commercial interest of
British companies. We feel that this is a feeble excuse. To prioritise
profits over the suffering and death of animals is obscene.
On weapons tesing, Labour stated: "We will forbid the use of animals
in the testing and development of weapons." Labour in Government
has refused to rule out the use of animals in the recently announced
research programme at Porton Down, the Government's chemical and biological
warfare establishment in Wiltshire.
Wild Caught Primates
Labour claims it is opposed to the use of wild-caught primates in UK
laboratories. However, Home Office officials have refused to ban such
experiments, preferring to leave the door open for project applications.
We have been happy to tell the public that the advent of a Labour Government
at least allows some of these issues to be discussed, and creates opportunities
for progress to be made in terms of our society's relationship with
nonhuman animals, and the direction of modern science and technology.
However, even this guarded optimism seems misplaced. We were hoping
that New Labour's coming to power would signal a break with the discredited
Government of the Conservatives. Unfortunately, the only breaks being
made seem to be with Labour's pre-election promises - a depressing echo
of 18 years of Tory rule.
It is dishonest and undemocratic to make promises before a general
election, only to break those promises so spectacularly once victory
has been achieved. Therefore, we call on the Government to honour all
of its pre-election pledges on "animals in the laboratory."
"Labour has consistently shown itself as the only party to trust
on issues of animal welfare", new life for animals proudly declares.
Unless you decide to honour your pre-election pledges, we don't expect
to see that sentence in any Labour document ever again.
Yours sincerely
Dan Lyons, on behalf of:
Uncaged
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Naturewatch
London Animal Action
Preston Action for Animals
|
