I have championed the fight against animal cruelty over the years, and signed countless Early Day Motions opposing practices and actions involving cruelty to animals in the UK and world-wide.
I have always felt that we desperately needed a proper and serious scientific hearing into animal experimentation including all the practices that support it, such as breeding dogs for use in those experiments.
It is a surprise that the US is now leading on making vital changes towards new, non-animal testing practices using alternative New Approach Methodologies. I’d hope that this in itself would put pressure on the UK to follow suit.
There is ample data to show that some, if not a lot of the evidence provided by animal experimentation may not be providing the evidence that a compound (whether it’s a drug or cosmetic) is safe for humans.
I fully support all the objectives of the petition, but because of pressures on my diary I was not be free to attend the debate on Monday 16 January but I look forward to reading the transcript of that debate.
I was very happy to have signed EDM 223, ‘Animal-free science and animal tests’ tabled by Grahame Morris MP, and fully support its objectives:
“That this House is concerned that the UK remains one of the countries in Europe consistently with one of the highest numbers of animal experiments, with over 2.88 million animals tests taking place in 2020 alone; is disappointed that UK legislation no longer contains a commitment to the final goal of full replacement of procedures on live animals found in recital 10 of Directive 2010/63/EU; acknowledges the ever-increasing capacity of animal-free, human relevant science to deliver economic and public health benefits as well as prevent animal suffering; notes that a recent YouGov survey found that 65 per cent of people want to see a Government-led, cross-departmental plan to incentivise an end to animal tests; further notes the Cruelty Free International campaign to Target Zero animal tests; and calls for a Minister with specific responsibility for providing strategic leadership to put in place a UK strategy to accelerate a transition to animal-free science.”
