Too think that dogs used for experments in the UK must be given the same welfare as any other service dog !

[PupsAndKittens]

Ok, so unpopular opption but if ;as a final result; dogs have to be tested on, then they MUST have the same welfare rights as any other dog in the country.

For example, these puppies are never taken for walk and they are fed the bare minimum. Any other service dog and that would be highly illegal.

Labatories don’t even attempt to rehome after the experiment, and go for the easy option of euthanasia. The police wouldn’t be allowed to do the same to a sniffer dog ( without proof that it’s for the best interest of the dog)

If the dog was cut open for surgery ( example it had cancer!) The vets wouldn’t then suggest immediately after it was euthanised ( again, unless anything went wrong and that it would give the dog no quality of life)

If a madman went to a dog park and shot all the puppies, they could’ve get up to a decade in prison.

unpopular opinion, But unfortunately drugs have to be tested on something (although I personally think it should be murderers and rapists!). However that doesn’t mean that the dogs used should be treated as second-class citizens, especially as they do just as an important job then those that work in services such as police, fire and disabilities.

What needs to happen, is two main priorities:

1. Puppies up until their experiment, must be given a decent quality of life, just like any other puppy in any other service. This includes regular food and regular walks.

1. After there operation, all dogs must be attempted to be rehomed. Sorry but if every other dog is entitled to a fresh start, including strays, why should those that have suffered the most not be.

I know they do a lot already, but I think animal shelters particularly Battersea could do a bit more ( i’m not undermining the brilliant work that place does already ). Even if they offered to take half a bunch that would be something.

I just want to know what people feel about this. What I am really asking is how much welfare They should have prior and after their experiment. Or are they born second class citizens And not entitled to normal laws, because they are born to die. And before anyone attempts to rip me to pieces, I am both vegetarian (mostly vegan) and cruelty free with my cosmetics!

( PS sorry for two post in two days, however I have just read an article on this and it’s made me really angry at the hypocrisy of it all) [ sad]

I’m not sure where you get your information from ... it might be a better source than mine, and to be honest I don’t have any direct experience of animal research ... BUT as far as I know there are two answers to your questions:

1. Experimental animals have really good quality of life in the UK. (I’ve heard scientists joke that the animals are kept in more comfortable environments than the scientists)

1. Unfortunately the experiments are usually terminal for the animals. For example if they’re given toxic drugs and then operated on to see the effects of those drugs, they usually can’t live (for long) afterwards, or they will suffer so much from the effects that it’s kinder to put them down.

Do you have sources for any of those allegations that the dogs don't get exercise and are fed the bare minimum? The standards I am aware of in the UK are very different.

This is an article from the Sun ( wouldn’t usually use them as a proper source of information but I think this article sums up the crulty perfectly). 😡

www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/102132/inside-the-secretive-farm-where-beagles-are-bred-to-die/

They are NOT fed the bare minimum??! Where did you get that nugget of false gold from? A Facebook group in the USA? PETA?

Lab animals in the UK are normally fed on specially made diets designed for their needs. "off the shelf" dog food could in fact make them very ill (and vice versa).

From just 1 google attempt I found this:

The code of practice for lab animals in the UK
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/388535/CoPanimalsWeb.pdf

3.4 Feeding The form, content and presentation of the diet shall meet the nutritional and behavioural needs of the animal.The animals’ diet shall be palatable and non-contaminated. In the selection of raw materials, production, preparation and presentation of feed, establishments shall take measures to minimise chemical, physical and microbiological contamination.Packing, transport and storage shall be such as to avoid contamination, deterioration or destruction. All feed hoppers, troughs or other utensils used for feeding shall be regularly cleaned and, if necessary, sterilised.Each animal shall be able to access the food, with sufficient feeding space provided to limit competition

They are not even given names tho, just numbers!

errrr... That article is from 2015.

Yes, with nothing changing since

Why would an animal care about being given a name? How is that a welfare issue?
There was an AMA on here a while back from someone who worked in an animal testing lab. It was very clear that the welfare of the animals was a very high priority.

Please can you reference the article you read?

The UK has the highest standards of welfare for animals in research in the world.

They are not pets FFS. They are lab animals. Do you expect them all to be called "emma14235" or "Mr Snuggles1097865"?

Lab animals which; until the human race are happy for other living and breathing human beings to be used as test subjects; will be used for testing for some reason.

Some lab animals are actually used to test pet foods that will eventually end up on supermarket shelves that we will feed to our pets or used to test procedures/ veterinary drugs which again will be used to save peoples pets or improve their pets lives if they have an illness.

Can we also petition to stop slaughtering millions of sheep, fish,pigs,cows etc everyday too? They don't even get the honour of being given a number!

They don't need a name..

There are other ways to test drugs. Experimenting in the way you mean is never acceptable.

But no other dog would be called by a number, not would they live there life imprison inside a cage, nor would they never have human interaction

Disagree. It would be worse to test on humans and too risky to not test on animals.

First of all, it still doesn't mean they need a name they don't understand the concept of being names, you know? And also, who says a number isn't a name?!

Sorry. Cross post. They are lab animals who have been raised in groups. Some are adopted but most are unsuitable to life as a pet.

I don’t know how anyone could work here and I disagree strongly on experimenting on animals

About 4000 dogs were used in research last year. Meanwhile approx. 1.5 MILLION cats and dogs were put down in animal homes.

speakingofresearch.com

@Badcat666But neither are sniffer dogs, they are given names! Like I said, personally think it should be criminals that are tested

@BobLobLawLLBI completely agree, ( hence why I am a vegetarian), however the point of my post is The hypocrisy of the way we treat dogs in this country. Millions of us have dogs, why are they given better rights than any other dog. All dogs should be equal! a minority of us have farm animals as pets!( not that their lives are any less important)

Data from an unhealthy animal is not good data and therefore the experiment is wasted. Can’t be arsed with this emotive shit, nobody wants to test on animals, it isn’t fun! When there is a genuine viable alternative then it will stop, until then it is EXTREMELY difficult to get an animal experiment licences, especially on higher mammals. The experiment sponsors, who heavily audit the experimental sites are not going to pay for tests on unhappy and therefore unhealthy animals! It is not very palatable that it is economics driven but that is how it is!

purple

Lab animals aren't just used to test drugs for humans.

It could be testing drugs for pets or wild animals, like anti rabies medicines which are now dropped in high rabies infected areas across the globe to stop wild animals becoming infected or where rescue groups annually administer anti rabies jabs to thousands of stray animals, thus saving them from a horrendous death.

Where did you think a drug that saves these animals lives and thus saving human lives came from? A magic drug wishing well?

Nope, came from lab experiments... on animals.

But if you are up for doing some weird shit drug trials I'm sure some weird scientist in an underground bunker would be happy to have you (light hearted BTW!)

@everythingthelighttouches yes, and if that's for a pointless reason, I believe that's wrong as well.however at least they are tried to be rehomed. How do you know that these dogs wouldn't work as pets, what proof do you have?