BUAV: MEPs ignore public opinion on animal welfare

Wednesday, 1 April 2009 12:00 AM

Campaigners express outrage as opportunity to increase protection for animals in EU laboratories is missed.

The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE), a coalition of 18 animal protection organizations from across Europe - the continent's leading alliance campaigning on behalf of animals used in experiments - has reacted with dismay after Members of the Agriculture Parliamentary Committee today voted out measures that would have afforded greater protection to animals in laboratories.

Members of the European Parliament, heavily lobbied by the multi-billion pound animal research industry, have not only gone against public opinion but have undermined proposals originally put forward by the EU Commission to make major long over-due improvements in animal welfare during the revision of the 20 year old EU legislation governing animal experiments.

Claims made by Neil Parish MEP, the parliament's draftsman of the proposals, that the directive will result in improved animal welfare and set the framework to allow the EU to move towards the goal of ending animal experimentation will mislead the public into believing that this is a great day for animals in laboratories. The opposite is the case as the outcome of today's vote will result in:

. the continued use of wild-caught monkeys and the weakening of a proposed ban on the use of great apes
. severe and prolonged suffering
. repeated re-use of the same animal
. animals such as primates, cats and dogs to be used in experiments, even in principle, for trivial purposes
. no requirement for official approval for experiments, and the suffering they cause, in the vast majority of cases
. a highly secretive system with little information for the public
An opinion poll, recently carried out by Yougov, which took place in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the Czech Republic shows that public opinion disagrees:

Results from the opinion poll show:

. 81% of people surveyed agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments causing pain or suffering to primates
. 79% of people agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments on animals which do not relate to serious or life-threatening human conditions
. 84% of people surveyed agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments causing severe pain or suffering to any animal
. 80% of people agree or strongly agree all information about animal experiments should be publicly available, except information which is confidential and information which would identify researchers or where they work
. 73% of people disagree or strongly disagree that the new law should permit experiments causing pain or suffering to cats
. 77% of people disagree or strongly disagree that the new law should permit experiments causing pain or suffering to dogs

ECEAE Chief Executive, Michelle Thew states: "The opportunity to afford greater protection to animals in laboratories has been lost. It is outrageous that even a ban on the use of wild-caught monkeys, a trade universally recognized as inflicting great cruelty, has been weakened. Members of the Agricultural Committee have gone against public opinion and compassionate thinking and given in to the multi-billion pound animal research industry, basically giving researchers a green light to do what they want to laboratory animals. This is a very bleak day for animals in laboratories."

ENDS

For further information contact the BUAV Media Office + 44 (0)7850 510 955 or visit our Web site: www.eceae.org

Notes:

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 7139 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th February - 4th March 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the population sizes of the countries surveyed.
2. ECEAE Member Organisations: ADDA (Spain), Animal (Portugal), Animal Friends Croatia (Croatia), Animal Rights Sweden (Sweden), Animalia (Finland), BUAV (UK), Deutscher Tierschutzbund (Germany), Dyrevernalliansen (Norway), EDEV (Netherlands), Forsøgsdyrenes Værn (Denmark), GAIA (Belgium), Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (Ireland), LAV (Italy), One Voice (France), People for Animal Rights (Germany), Svoboda zvírat (Czech Republic), SSPA (Switzerland), Vier Pfoten (Austria)

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