Chrissie Hynde ‘Horrified’ by University of Edinburgh’s Near-Drowning of Animals

“I was stunned – and horrified …. Imagine doing that to a dog – or a baby, for that matter.” – Chrissie Hynde

Putting down her guitar to stand up for animals, rock icon Chrissie Hynde is urging the University of Edinburgh to end its use of the forced swim test.

Today, she fired off a letter on PETA’s behalf to the university’s principal and vice-chancellor, Peter Mathieson. She’s looking forward to her first Queen’s Hall performance during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 22 August.

What Are Experimenters in Edinburgh Doing to Rats and Mice?

University experimenters place rats and mice in sheer-sided containers filled with water and watch them paddle furiously in search of an exit as they try to keep their heads above water. Intermittently, they float.

“As a veteran rocker, I’m not shocked by much. But I was stunned – and horrified – to learn from PETA that the University of Edinburgh is still subjecting mice and rats to the cruel forced swim test, an experiment that’s been – sixed almost everywhere,” writes Chrissie.

What’s the Point of the Experiment?

The widely criticised test is supposed to shed light on human conditions such as depression and stress.

However, using forced swim experiments in attempts to study human brain conditions is not only appallingly cruel but also pointless. Some experimenters claim that this test can be used to screen drugs for antidepressant properties, but this simply isn’t true. Recently, the absurdity of nearly drowning rats and mice to identify depression treatments has even been recognised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

“Imagine doing that to a dog – or a baby, for that matter,” Chrissie points out. “Your experimenters simply record how long these trapped, exhausted animals swim and float, which has f*** all to do with clinical depression. Scientists with common sense believe that relying on this flawed test could actually hinder the development of effective treatments for human conditions.”

The University of Edinburgh Needs to Get With the Times

The wider scientific community condemns the forced swim test, and many companies have already banned its use. Fifteen companies and two universities, including King’s College London, have declared that they don’t intend to use the test in the future.