Posted by Zebedee under blog's category : Antivivisection & extremism

On Thursday 26 January, we learned that Communities Secretary Eric Pickles had agreed with the recommendations of a planning appeal inspector and dismissed the planning appeal by B&K animal breeders in East Yorkshire. So permission to expand its laboratory beagle breeding facilities has been refused, pending further appeal.

The local Council had initially rejected the planning application on the grounds of uncertainty about highway access. But in judging the B&K appeal that issue was resolved in the company’s favour. Ironically, the appeal was turned down because of two other issues. These were the perceived negative impact of the proposal on adjacent listed buildings, and the negative impact the development might have on the local residents.

read more »

Posted by Zebedee under blog's category : Research & medical benefits

It's 30 years since the first cases of HIV infection. During this time, says the website HIVaware, we've seen rapid change. The life-saving advances in treatment mean that a diagnosis of HIV infection is no longer death sentence. Learn more about how anti-retroviral treatments, based on decades of research into animal retroviruses, have saved millions of lives over two decades.

read more »

Posted by Zebedee under blog's category : Communications & media

Subtitled In defence of animal experiments, the Independent published a four-page article in Saturday's Magazine about how animal research is 'transforming human lives'. Journalist Paul Vallely and photographer Kalpesh Lathigra came to this conclusion after visiting London-based university research facilities and talking to researchers about their work. The article was very much based on these visits and background factual information about the numbers of animals used and how research is regulated, much of which can be found on this website.

read more »

Posted by Zebedee under blog's category : Antivivisection & extremism

The animal rights group Animal Aid launched an ill-informed, illogical and ill-conceived campaign against medical research charities a few weeks ago. Two of our neuroscientist members have felt compelled to write a counter, below, to some claims in the group’s publication Victims of Science.

Animal Aid planned a 'Day of Action' on Saturday 13 August, and we have seen some of their posters around London. However, we are pleased to report little evidence of any activity.

read more »