Stray cats and dogs to be used in labs?

Source.

Back in August of 2011 I posted about the government's plans to integrate new EU Directives on animal experimentation into UK legislation (Lab Animals Directive - A step back?) It appears that the government are planning to remove the current protection granted to stray domestic animals.  If the new rule is added to UK legislation it means that the government could allow the use of stray, lost or abandoned cats and dogs to be used in experiments.  I find this appalling and agree with BUAV's statement that "subjecting lost pets to painful experiments would be an extraordinary betrayal of the trust that companion animals put in us."

An Early Day Motion, supported by members of all parties, has been tabled by Adrian Sanders MP.  Adrian told the BUAV:

"I'm shocked that the government is considering removing the current protection given to our stray cats and dogs from being used in experiments. Losing a pet is distressing, but the idea that the animal could potentially end up in a laboratory is ghastly and unacceptable, and I urge the government to reconsider.”

If the government go ahead with this would contradict their previous claims that British legislation would not be weakened.

  

Please spare some time to contact your MP and urging them to sign Early Day Motion 193 opposing this proposition.  Find and contact your MP by clicking here and entering your postcode, you will then be directed to a form in which to contact them.  First, have a look at this link showing who has already signed Early Day Motion 193 to see if your MP has already signed.

_______________________________________________________

Suggested text (Feel free to copy + paste)

I am writing with regards to the government's integration of new EU Directives in relation to animal testing.  

Plans to remove the current protection granted to stray domestic animals could mean that stray, lost or abandoned cats and dogs could be used in experiments.  I am shocked and appalled by this decision and echoing Adrian Sanders MP, I think losing a pet is extremely distressing and the idea that a much loved pet could potentially end up in a laboratory is ghastly and unacceptable.  

Going along with this plan contradicts the government's previous claims that British legislation would not be weakened.

I urge you to please sign Early Day Motion 193 opposing this proposition.

Thank you for your time.

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Once your message has been sent you will need to check your e-mail as you will be sent a confirmation message from Write To Them, open this message and click on the link to confirm your correspondence to your MP.

Grade the government!

What was your School report like?  Were you proud to take this home to your parents, or were you dreading what was written on it ever seeing the light of day?  I was somewhere in-between!  Now, if the UK government were to be given a report card at the end of term, what do you think it would look like?  The RSPCA have created the Animal Welfare Report Card to express mounting frustration at the failures of the coalition government on key animal welfare matters.  

It is our turn to act as the teacher and have our say on the governments performance on animal welfare, click here to start grading.  (It seems that you have to have a Facebook account to do this but don't let that put you off if you are not a Facebook user, you can spread the word by letting your friends that do have Facebook know.)

Here is what I graded the government:

Dog control ~ "Compulsory micro-chipping is not going to tackle this issue, harsher sentences for the irresponsible owners could be more beneficial" 

 - Grade F

Culling badgers ~ "Instead of ignoring Science and public opinion, listen more and consider vaccination instead of culling innocent creatures."

 - Grade F

Wild animals in circuses ~ "Stop stalling!  While you are stalling, animals are suffering.  Set a date for the ban to come into force now" 

- Grade F

Lab animals ~ "I am very disappointed that you would even consider joining the EU Directive 2010, this would make conditions worse for animals rather than improve them and this is unacceptable." 

- Grade F

Overall Comments "I'm afraid this year has been a disaster, please try harder." 

- Overall Grade F

What would you grade the government?

Public consultation over the Dangerous Dogs Act

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After years of campaigning by organisations such as Dogs Trust, the Government has launched a consultation over it's intended plans to tackle irresponsible dog ownership seeking our views on the issue.

The Government are proposing the following:

• To extend section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act to allow owners to be prosecuted for allowing their dogs to be dangerously out of control in any place, including private property.
• Allow dogs mentioned in section 1(deemed to be of a banned breed) to be granted "bail" meaning that following seizure by the police, if the dog was not deemed to be a threat to public safety and the owner was deemed responsible, the dog could be returned to the owner rather than going into police kennelling prior to any court date.
• To increase the fee for a section 1 dog to be placed on the Index of Exempted Dogs.
• To consult on plans to make micro-chipping compulsory for puppies.

 - Source, Dogs Trust.  If you want to read the full consultation documents you can do so here.

 

You have until the consultation closes on 15th June to give your views and you can do so by  quickly filling in this survey or by e-mailing Defra directly at: 

animalwelfare.consultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk

To help you fill in the survey have a look at the answers given by Dogs Trust which reflect that they don't think the Governments proposals go far enough.  Use this as a guide but remember to try and put it as much in your own words as possible.

Back off Badgers!

I had a message from the RSPCA this morning about a potential badger cull in England. The cull is an attempt from the government to control bovine TB. The cull is mentioned in the government coalition document where it states that "the government will undertake action against bovine TB on a science based approach".

What is Bovine TB (bTB)?

There are several reasons why a cull of badgers is not the way forward.

Following a ten year study, the latest science shows that a badger cull would have to exist over a very large area and virtually wipe out the badger population over a number of years in order to achieve ANY reduction in bovine TB.

The study also shows that a cull in a local area increases bovine TB in the cattle based in the surrounding areas and actually achieves a limited reduction in the targeted area. Basically science has shown that culling badgers has only a limited benefit in small areas or in areas where there is not a complete cull. Therefore the benefit is outweighed by the increase in bovine TB elsewhere.

How to Help
Contact your MP by following this link which will direct you to the RSPCA Campaign site and enter your details. If you have time please make a few additions to the e-mail they have already prepared and let your MP know what you think about this issue. The website also allows you to share the campaign on Facebook and Twitter as well as forwarding to a friend.

The badger cull was last under discussion back in 2006. Over 47,000 people responded to the governments proposal and stated that they did not want the cull to go ahead. The government then looked into other ways of combating bovine TB and one of the suggested alternatives, badger vaccination, was due to begin in June. If the badger cull does go ahead it would be difficult to measure which method, badger vaccination or a badger cull affected changes in the disease patterns.

Dog Cull in Bali

I'm just catching up on some e-mails (it has been a busy few weeks) and spotted this one from PETA about how the Government in Bali are using strychnine poisoning to try and control rabies and reduce the population of stray dogs. Strychnine poisoning produces some of the most painful and dramatic symptoms of any toxic reaction currently known and is often used in film and literature for dramatic effect. I'm sure you will agree that this is extremely cruel and inhumane, the dogs exposed to this poison experience a great amount of suffering before eventually dying.

The most effective way to control rabies outbreaks is by mass vaccination and PETA informs me that local groups are working very hard to vaccinate as many dogs as possible.

How to Help

Please spare a minute and click here to contact the Indonesian Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Yuri Octavian Thamrin urging him to help call off this inhumane cull of 90,000 dogs. The link will take you straight to PETA's website where you fill in very few details and click submit.