Posted: 30 April 2014. Updated: 1 May 2014
After months of expectation, the Government has finally launched its public consultation on repeal of Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act.
We now have an opportunity to speak up for the animals and call for this ‘secrecy clause’ to be removed – and we are delighted that nature TV presenter Chris Packham is backing our campaign. We hope you will too!
There is strong support from scientists, politicians, celebrities and the public for Section 24 to be repealed. This ‘secrecy clause’ prevents regulators from releasing details of what happens to animals during experiments, stifling public debate and scientific scrutiny.
Presently, there is significant and increasing public mistrust of the Government’s regulation of animal experiments. According to a recent poll, 51% of respondents thought that “unnecessary duplication of experiments may go on” and only 47% “trust scientists not to cause unnecessary suffering”. It is time for the secret suffering of laboratory animals in the UK to stop.
Please help us. As Chris Packham says ”Animal experiments have been carried out in the dark for too long”.