By Evangeline Tuffs
Photos by Photography With Evangeline
Animal rights activists have held a demonstration in Margate today (January 22) as part of the National Day of Protest Against Vivisection.
Campaigners were Shottendane Road for a public outreach demonstration to help raise awareness of the cruelties within the vivisection industry.
The action was held at the site because Charles River Laboratories – one of the world’s largest animal testing companies – is close by.
Some of the attendees have been vegan and taking part in protests like these for decades, but would like to welcome anyone, no matter their age, to join them.
Members of the public took flyers from the group and onlookers and passers-by showed their support and hooted their car horns.
Animal Aid states that every 8 seconds an animal dies inside British laboratories.
According to Cruelty Free International:
According to Government figures, a total of 3.40 million experiments were completed in Great Britain during 2019.
Of these, 1.67 million (49%) related to the creation or breeding of genetically altered animals who were not used in further experiments. The remaining 1.73 million (51%) were actual experiments on animals, which included 551,835 animals (32%) that were subjected to experiments that even the researchers considered had caused them moderate or severe suffering.
Out of the total number of experiments, 57% were for basic research purposes while only 13% were required by regulators. 53% of all experiments were conducted in universities, often using taxpayers’ funds.
On its website Charles River says: “Animals have contributed to nearly every medical breakthrough in recent history, including treatments for cancer, diabetes, and AIDS, and they continue to play an essential role in the development of life-saving drugs for people and other animals.
“The welfare of the animals contributing to research is of utmost importance and a prerequisite for the accuracy, reliability, and translatability of our research.”
Campaigners are urging people to ask their MP to sign the EDM 175 to support a public scientific debate at http://forlifeonearth.eaction.online
And to ask the Home Secretary Priti Patel to make animal testing illegal.
E-mail: [email protected]
Post: The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP
House of Commons
London SW1A DAA
