NATIONAL Pet Week was held recently (30 April-8 May) and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUVA) ask us to consider the following comments:

During National Pet Week, people with cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits in their home, are reminded to look after them in a responsible way, and to repay them for making a positive difference to our lives by treating them with kindness, respect and ensuring they stay healthy and well.

Unfortunately though, for the hundreds of thousands of cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and horses used in laboratories each year, National Pet Week doesn’t apply to them.
According to the latest available statistics, more than 21,000 dogs were used in EU experiments with more than a quarter of those procedures being done here in the UK; nearly 300,000 rabbits and 250,000 guinea pigs were also used in the EU in the same year.

Although they suffer physical pain and psychological torment, they are not protected from harm by the Protection of Animals Act 1911; UK legislation covering animal experiments - the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 - permits the infliction of suffering in the lab.

As a responsible citizen if we deliberately abuse our family dog or cat, we can rightly expect to be prosecuted for animal cruelty, perhaps fined, imprisoned and even banned from owning an animal. But behind the closed doors of laboratories, researchers are given licenses to legally inflict suffering. The same sorts of animals that we hold close to our hearts can legally be burned, poisoned, electrocuted, brain damaged, paralysed, infected with disease, surgically altered, psychologically tormented and killed.

Find out how you can help them by contacting the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) on 020 7700 4888 or email info@buav.org