Peter Egan and Scarlett
A petition calling for a law change to protect laboratory animals from suffering is just 1,000 names away from being debated in Parliament.
More than 99,000 people have signed the request started by comedian Ricky Gervais and actor Peter Egan.
They are “helped” by Scarlett a beagle rescued from a laboratory.
The current Animal Welfare Act prevents “unnecessary suffering” to protected animals; it includes pets and wild animals.
However, it doesn’t apply to animals used for “scientific or educational purposes”.
The RSPCA estimates more than 100 million animals worldwide are used each year in experiments to study the efficacy or medicines and vaccines.
The petition page reads:
“A recent exposé showed harrowing footage of the factory farming of laboratory dogs in the UK.
“Experiments on such dogs, and other animals, are today widely reported to be entirely failing the search for human treatments and cures.
“Current science from multiple fields proves that animal-based research and testing is not viable.
“The Government should therefore change the law to include laboratory animals under the protection of the Animal Welfare Act, to prevent their unnecessary suffering.”
Change the law to include laboratory animals in the Animal Welfare Act. – Petitions (parliament.uk)
