National Antivisection Society
'Rigorous controls'?
So where is the evidence of the so-called ‘rigorous’ controls that government and animal researchers so often cite in the media?
Elisa, a macaque monkey at the Institute of Neurology, had a steel head piece, tubes and electrodes permanently bolted into her head as part of a lengthy experiment to trace the connections between the brain and hand. This kind of research has been strongly criticised by scientists in this country and abroad. Furthermore, the way Elisa was being housed breached the government’s COP.
The researcher responsible approached the Home Office for a five-year licence, which would allow him to use 61 monkeys, 25 rats and 4 cats in a variety of procedures. The Home Office awarded this licence in just three working days.
It was subsequently claimed that discussions had taken place between the worker and the local ASP Inspector (Home Office) prior to the application, but there is no access to any evidence of this, nor to the reasons given for awarding such a licence.
