Green MP Lucas demands end to 'cruel and unnecessary' animal experiments

February 12th, 2007

Caroline Lucas has joined animal protection groups across Europe in calling on the EU to replace ‘cruel, unnecessary and misleading’ animal experiments.

As Europe's 20 year old law governing animal experiments undergoes a long-overdue review, campaigners are calling on MEPs urgently to replace animal experiments with more ethical and scientifically reliable non-animal research techniques.

Dr Lucas, South-East England’s Green Party MEP – who was awarded the RSPCA’s Michael Kay award for services to European animal welfare in 2006 – has added her name to a Europe-wide petition being collected in 11 European languages and supported by animal groups across the continent.

The petition was launched by the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, the UK's leading non-animal medical research charity.

Dr Lucas said: "There's unlikely to be a better moment than this for the EU to really commit to meaningful action to replace animal experiments. Europe's 'animal testing' legislation is desperately out of date – and increasingly out of step with both scientific and public opinion.

“Animal research is not only cruel, it also has significant scientific limitations which mean it can never be relied on to guarantee human health or safety.

“Modern non-animal techniques are the way forward and now as Europe's animal testing legislation is reviewed, legislators have it within their power to put non-animal replacements at the heart of Europe's research agenda. I hope they take this opportunity."

There are currently more than 13 million animal experiments in Europe each year, with the UK the largest user of laboratory animals in the EU.

Wendy Higgins, Communications Director for the Dr Hadwen Trust, added: "The Dr Hadwen Trust's own non-animal research into illnesses such as epilepsy, cancer, meningitis, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease and AIDS, proves that we don't need to make a choice between helping animals or helping people. I would encourage anyone who cares about animal and human suffering to sign our petition and help us demonstrate that European citizens want a non-animal testing future now."

ENDS

Editors’ Notes:
1. Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. The Commission will produce and adopt a proposal which will be sent to the European Parliament and the Council to undergo co-decision procedure (due to start early/mid 2007, and lasting approximately two years).

2. The petition can be signed at www.endeuanimaltests.org and is being supported by leading UK animal groups - Advocates for Animals, Animal Aid, BUAV, Europeans for Medical Progress, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Uncaged.

3. Wendy Higgins, Communications Director at the Dr Hadwen Trust can be contacted for more information on the petition on 07989 972 423 or by emailing wendy@drhadwentrust.f2s.com

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Ben Duncan
Media Officer to Caroline Lucas MEP
benduncan@greenmeps.org.uk
01273 671946 (office)
07973 823358 (mobile)

Source: MEP Caroline Lucas

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