National Antivisection Society
20 things you can do to help
Every year millions of animals die in laboratories worldwide. It doesn’t have to be this way. YOU can make a difference. Although many of these suggestions are geared to helping in the UK, anti-vivisectionists worldwide can adapt these ideas to your local situation. Why not ask us about leaflets for a campaign in your country?
Find out how to help, here.....
1. Join the NAVS. This keeps you up to date with our campaigns, and enables you to participate when you wish. If you do not wish to become a regular supporter immediately, ask to be kept informed of our work. Why not join our email list?
2. Seek outlets for the NAVS publications. In order to succeed, we need to tell as many people as possible what we are doing. So think where you can leave our publications for others to read. Perhaps your local library, community centre, health centre, veterinary or doctor’s surgery, youth club or social club will accept a regular copy from you?
3. Write to your Member of Parliament at the House of Commons, London, SW1, urging him or her to support the NAVS campaigns. Use our information sheets and leaflets to compose your letter. Let us have a copy of their reply.
Please click here to find your MP
4. Write to your Member of the European Parliament - their address can be obtained from the Information Office of the European Parliament at 2 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1, or, from your local council offices. This is important since European legislation sets the standard for our own.
To find UK Ambassadors please follow this link:
http://www.fco.gov.uk
5. Distribute NAVS leaflets and display our posters, in local shop windows, veterinary surgeries, local halls etc. Can you find time to give out our leaflets in your local high street?
6. Tell people about the work of the Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research. The Lord Dowding Fund is a department of the NAVS which has awarded grants of approaching £2 million to scientists conducting scientific and medical research without animals. More needs to be done and you could ask your MP to insist that the government spends more on developing non-animal research.
7. Organise a social evening where friends and neighbours can learn about the work of the NAVS, and products which are not tested on animals, as well as projects supported by the Lord Dowding Fund.
8. Buy household products, cosmetics, toiletries, and medicines which have not been tested on animals. Look for products which are clearly labelled that they have not been animal tested. Ask for one of our lists of companies who do not test their products on animals.
9. Arrange a local public meeting and screening of our documentary videos (or a debate). One of our speakers can give the talk, and help with organisation and publicity.
10. Write to the Readers’ Letters pages of national and local newspapers. Use quotes from our leaflets to help you compose your letter. Remember: Animal experiments are unreliable, unethical, and unnecessary!
11. Write to local schools, colleges, and political parties and ask whether they will have a speaker or video presentation from the NAVS. Ask local teachers they will take our Teacher’s Pack, which has worksheets for students, video or CD rom, and Teacher’s Notes to enable them to guide a lesson on this subject.
12. Only support charities which do not fund vivisection. The NAVS Good Charities Guide provides details of which charities do or do not fund animal experiments.
13. Become a NAVS local organiser. We can help put you in touch with other campaigners in your area. You can organise events which can include publicity events, petitions, lobbying of local members of parliament, spring sales, bazaars, sponsored events, social evenings, vigils at local laboratories, street leafleting.
14. Organise fund-raising events or become a street collector for the NAVS and Lord Dowding Fund.
15. Collect signatures for petitions.
16. Read our publications and literature so that you can inform others.
17. Recruit more supporters. Can you give one of our leaflets to one new person every week, or every month?
18. Use your WILL to help lab animals. Have you thought of leaving a legacy to the NAVS, Animal Defenders International, or the Lord Dowding Fund in your Will? A gift in your Will can help future campaigns to save laboratory animals. Call +44 (0)20 760 3340 and ask for the free NAVS guide to making a Will. Or email Barbara Drummond, (email: info@navs.org.uk}info@navs.org.uk{/email}
19. Support the Animal Defenders International which was founded by the NAVS to campaign on issues other than animal experimentation. The Animal Defenders International spearhead the campaign against the use of animals in circuses, and collected the evidence that led to the cruelty convictions of Mary Chipperfield, Roger Cawley, and elephant keeper Steve Gills.
20. Do something every day or week. Small things add up; a £1 or other loose change in a NAVS collecting box at home; a letter to a local newspaper or to your Member of Parliament; a NAVS leaflet to another person.
Please help us end the abuse of animals, please make a donation today…
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