Parliament debate the use of animals in laboratories – again!

In response to a petition calling for an end to the use of animals in laboratories – which surpassed 120,000 signatures – MPs gathered today in Westminster Hall. The debate follows an impressive turnout for World Day for Animals in Labs and brand new footage exposing British laboratories conducting cruel toxicity tests on dogs, rats, rabbits, pigs, and primates. 

Before the debate, a rally took place on Parliament Square attended by supporters, grassroots groups, celebrities, MPs and Animal Aid patrons Carol Treasure and Wendy Turner-Webster. The peaceful rally had been coordinated by our friends at Camp Beagle, the longest running, permanent grassroots protest group in the UK, and was a welcome opportunity to remind MPs that we aren’t going anywhere – we will continue campaigning until every laboratory is liberated.

The debate itself was well attended, with cross-party support for an end to animal testing. Supportive voices included MPs Steve Race, Manuela Perteghella and Jim Dickson, all of whom expressed support for a ban and  frustration at the slow pace of change, with the Government’s Replacing Animals in Science strategy lacking clear milestones and urgency. MPs spoke passionately about the number of letters and emails they’d received from constituents, many referencing the new footage released last week in the Mail on Sunday and The Mirror. 

Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross shared that “from the emails I have received the younger generation is increasingly unwilling to tolerate this testing at all.” 

Manuela Perteghella, MP for Stratford-on-Avon, said that her constituents struggle to square the UK’s reputation as animal lovers “with the continued scale of animal testing and the lack of pace of change…the real question is not whether we can move away from animal testing, but how quickly we are prepared to do so?” 

Irene Campbell, Chair of the APPG on phasing out animal experiments in medical research, suggested that “the whole licensing system should be reviewed”. 

Indeed, that is what our new campaign Licensed Cruelty is calling for:

Animal Aid has written to all 650 MPs requesting a meeting and urging them to watch new footage with us. The footage is so compelling that we challenge anyone to watch it and not be in favour of ending animal testing. 

Speaking outside Parliament, Iain Green, Director of Animal Aid, said: 

“The Government published its Replacing Animals in Science strategy last year. They set the destination as an end to animal testing, but we can’t let them drag their feet. This transition must happen urgently. I call on MPs and Ministers to meet with us, to watch this footage together, and then to end the suffering of animals in laboratories and move forward with human-relevant science.” 

More ways to help end animal testing:

• Share the footage. We firmly believe that nobody who sees this footage could agree that animal testing is acceptable. Help us get the footage out there by sharing on social media. 
• Order FREE campaign materials. Our range of Animals in Science campaign materials are all completely free and ideal for outreach in your local area or for sharing with friends, family, and neighbours.