The Big Debate: Animals in Experiments at Cambridge University

30 October at 7:00-9:00pm (subject to change)
Venue: Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BA
Hosted by Cambridge Young Greens

The University of Cambridge is notorious for its extensive use of animals in experiments. Last year alone, the University used nearly 170,000 animals in research – that’s over 450 every day (Home Office, 2014).

The animals used range from mice, rats, guinea pigs and fish to larger mammals like sheep, horses and primates.

The Cambridge Young Greens are hosting this iconic event which will see opposing scientists and political campaigners debate the issues surrounding the use of animals in experiments. It’s the first time something like this has taken place at Cambridge University outside of the student body…a real moment in history!

Is using animals a vital part of University research? Is it ever acceptable to use another being for scientific progress? Our panelists seek to outline their own perspectives on these questions…

The Panelists are:

FOR the use of animals –

Dr Stefano Plucino MD, PhD – Cambridge University Lecturer in Brain Repair. Honorary Consultant in Neurology. Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Initiative. Has used primates and rodents in his research, with a particular interest in central nervous system degenerative diseases like MS
http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directory/profile.php?pluchino

Tom Holder BA Politics, Philosophy & Economics – Campaigns Manager at Understanding Animal Research. Founder of the campaign groups Pro-Test and Speaking of Research, which advocate the use of animals in scientific research
http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/

AGAINST the use of animals –

Dr Andre Menache BSc(Hons) BVSc MRCVS – Scientific Adviser for the Anti-Vivisection Coalition and CEO of Antidote Europe. Dr Menache currently sits on two animal ethics committees in Geneva and Belgium.
http://antidote-europe.org/en/

Dr Caroline Allen MA, VetMB, CertSAM, MRCVS – Clinical Director for a group of Veterinary Surgeons in London. Spokesperson and Policymaker for the Green Party’s animal issues.
http://london.greenparty.org.uk/elected-greens/caroline-allen.html

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We look forward to this exciting and historic event – please share widely and prepare questions!
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/animaldebate

ARC Outreach – NAVS, The Black Fish, LUSH

Today, Animal Rights Cambridge teamed up with National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) and took to the streets to speak for animals in laboratories, helping people understand why there is no need for animals to be used in research. We had lots of chats with people, helping them see how the medical, cosmetic and household chemical industries exploit animals. We explained how horrifying the journey from birth to death is for the 4 million animals used for research in the UK every year, and showed them what they can do to help.

NAVS sent us over a hundred ‘Section 24′ petition postcards, which were snapped up by the public quicker than you can say ’empty cages’!

We also had the privilege of attending Lush CAMBRIDGE’s The Black Fish charity pot day where we learned about the desperate state of the world’s oceans and what our friends at The Black Fish are doing about it. Exciting news coming up regarding Cambridge’s involvement in marine issues…watch this space!

Thank you to all who helped on the stall, to NAVS for the materials and their continued work against vivisection. Thanks also to the fantastic Cambridge shoppers, families and passer-by who stopped to learn and think about the animals in laboratories. And to LUSH for being generally amazing, plus The Black Fish, who tirelessly speak for the animals in the globe’s oceans, and help us land-dwellers untangle the mess that we have made of them.

Until all are free!

Antivivisection Coalition Vigil for Primates in Cambridge University laboratories

This coming Saturday, February 15, the Antivivisection Coalition (AVC) is organising a torchlight vigil for every primate held in Cambridge University laboratories.
The vigil aims to bring awareness to the brutal conditions that primates endure every day and to spread the message that change is not only possible but also just and necessary.
Details:
Date: Saturday, 15 February
Time: Noon
Address: The Senate House, University of Cambridge, Kings Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1ST
More information: AVC website

Remembering Barry Horne and the Animals in Cambridge University Labs

On November 5, Animal Rights Cambridge held a street protest to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the death of animal rights activist Barry Horne (1952-2001) and to raise public awareness of the cruelty of vivisection within Cambridge University labs.

Through his hunger strikes, Barry raised public awareness about animal suffering, mostly within laboratories and urged the UK government to end vivisection. Besides the hunger strikes, Barry lived and worked every day for the animals and his activism is now legendary.

To pay homage to Barry and his work we came together to protest the exploitation of non-human animals that occurs within the walls of Cambridge University labs. We also wanted to highlight that animal experimentation does not predict human response to disease and drugs. We started our loud protest – drums included – on the Downing Site and continued to the Wellcome Trust site. We also handed out information leaflets to interested passersby and answered questions.

Our hope is that humans realise that other animals have the same rights to life and freedom we claim for ourselves and that it is unethical to use these animals as tools and resources. As Alice Walker once wrote:

On Downing Site

The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men.
—In The Dreaded Comparison : Human & Animal Slavery (1996) by Marjorie Spiegel, Foreword.

Hunger Protest by Young Activist over New EU Laws

Edmund Maile, 22, outraged by new EU laws which would allow puppies and kittens to be clubbed to death in vivisection laboratories, is on hunger strike to draw attention to the new EU laws which, if transposed by our Government, will undo many of the animal protection provisions we now have in UK vivisection laboratories by allowing, amongst other things:

• The use of great apes in research
• Prolonged suffering with no limits to the severity of pain permitted
• Fewer inspections of laboratories as infrequently as every 5 years
• Stray and feral animals to be used in experiments
• The continued use of primates with no commitment to phasing out their use

Edmund will be distributing postcards for people to send to David Cameron.

He will have information to help people express their concerns to their MP.

I hope people will come and talk to me, says Edmund, I had to do something. This European Directive is hard to get your head round but if our government accepts it as it is, it will be a disaster for lab animals everywhere.

He will be by the SENATE HOUSE in CAMBRIDGE
On SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER from 10am

 Edmund’s hunger strike is supported by Animal Rights Cambridge