European test figures shame
Latest figures show animal testing is up overall by 3.2% to 12.1
million in 2005. This includes 22,000 dogs, an increase of 4.2%, and
hamsters up 41%. This is despite European Commission and member
state's individual promises to reduce and replace the use of animals
in experiments. Please help these animals by supporting advances in
alternative testing in Europe with the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC.
Full report can be viewed at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/lab_animals/pdf/staff_work_doc_sec1455.pdf
The European Commission is currently reviewing Directive 86/609/EEC,
which sets out the rules for animal experimentation across the whole
of Europe. There is still time to make a difference to the final
draft.
The European Commission itself acknowledges that non-animal
replacements "...have the potential to provide robust information through quality-controlled, state-of-the-art tests which are faster
and less cost-intensive than classical animal-based tests".
It has launched a Community Action Plan for the Protection and Welfare
of Animals. This explicitly states "The final aim is to replace animal
experiments with methods not entailing the use of an animal."
It is in all our interest that Animal Testing is replaced with
Alternatives based on Human Biology not Animals.
For evidence that superior Alternative Research & Testing is replacing
animal testing visit http://www.drhadwentrust.org/
Please sign "Replace all Animal Experiments in Europe" - http://www.endeuanimaltests.org/
Now political pressure is needed to encourage EU legislators to do
everything they can to maximise non-animal replacement efforts.
Contact your MEPs and urge them to use the revision process of
Directive 86/609/EEC as an opportunity to improve the Standards of
animal welfare in European laboratories and make replacing with
alternatives a priority.
For contact details of your MEPs visit - http://www.europarl.europa.eu
A new European Chemical Testing Policy called REACH proposes to test
30,000 Chemicals of every kind - from those used in industrial
processes to the ingredients of consumer products - on millions of
animals from mice to fish to dogs, causing untold suffering. This directive should help these animals while still improving standards.
If you want to do more:-
Over 10,000 primates are used in experiments in Europe every year.
Please write to the European Commission and ask them to ban primate
tests. To help, a prepared letter can be found at http://www.eceae.org/saveprimates/en/action.html
For a response to the new EU animal experimental statistics visit http://www.buav.org
For information on Revision of Directive 86/609/EEC - http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/lab_animals/nextsteps_en.htm
Everyone can help and you can make a difference. Please tell your
friends and colleagues about the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC.