Further Suffering Averted – PETA Pressure Helps Prevent Weakening of UK Animal Testing Regulations

Animals in UK laboratories lead lives filled with fear and suffering, but last year, it looked like even the meagre legal protection that they currently have was under threat.

When PETA found out that animal testing legislation in the UK was going to change to incorporate an EU directive, we were worried that this could end up weakening regulations and make the situation for the victims of animal tests even worse. But after thousands of you responded to the public consultation and contacted the minister and after a year of pressuring the government, we are relieved to report that the new amendments to the 1986 Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act, which were signed off on this past Monday, maintain existing protection for dogs and cats and larger cage sizes for some species used in labs, as we had pushed for.

Shockingly, the act does still include a blanket secrecy clause – the notorious Section 24. This “transparency-lite” clause prevents the disclosure of information about animal experiment regulations and puts the interests of animal testers over the public’s right to know.

Support for animal testing in the UK is declining. This week, the government has avoided a disastrous weakening of regulations, but it still needs to do much more to help the millions of animals who are suffering in labs across the country. Thank you to every single person who took action. Bunny image:  Robobobobo /  CC-BY-SA-2.0