Stray cats and dogs in laboratory experiments

Animal welfare groups are uniting in their opposition to Government plans to remove the current ban on the use of stray animals in laboratories.

Under current legislation there is a complete ban on the use of stray domestic animals in laboratories but that protection could be lost when new EU rules are introduced.

The new Directive 2010/63/EU allows for the use of stray and feral animals in certain circumstances and there are fears that animals who are not claimed quickly enough from rescue centres could become test subjects.

An Early Day Motion calling for a full Parliamentary debate on the topic was tabled last week (June 13) by MP Adrian Sanders on behalf of the BUAV (British Union for Anti-Vivisection). So far it has been signed by 18 MPs.

But at a meeting with concerned groups head of the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit Judy MacArthur Clark said she could see no circumstances when the use of strays could be justified scientifically.

She pointed out that feral populations might be used in cases where the species themselves were at risk, such as diseases among feral pigeons, or for population control in feral cats.

But many organisations remain unconvinced and a number of online petitions have been launched by cat and dog groups nationwide.

Details of the early day motion can be found here:
http://www.parliament.uk/edm/print/2012-13/193

Archived June 21, 2012