The vivisectors are coming to town

It's been announced that an event will be held on 30th March at Glasgow University to "showcase" techniques and ideas for continued animal experimentation.

The 'Nexxt Big Thing in Integrative Mammalian Biology' is to be held by Nexxus, a part-publicly funded organisation which amongst other things promotes the use of animals in research. One of the areas being covered on the night will be "commercial opportunities in in vivo sciences available here in Scotland". This means how to make money out of experimenting on animals.

Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities also recently got a slice of a �12.3 million grant from an alliance between the UK and Scottish Governments and multi-national drug firms including GlaxoSmithkline, AstraZeneca and Pfizer.



One of the activities which will be carried out with this dirty money is "Outreach activities focused on the use of animals in research to schools and the community".

It's worrying to see that while hundreds of thousands of people are losing their jobs and their homes, and public spending is being slashed, the Government is giving our hard earned money hand over fist so 'scientists' can go into our communities and classrooms and cheerlead for the big drug companies and their increasing drive for profit.

Telling kids that if we don't butcher and terrorise animals in labs (although we know they definitely won't put it that way) then their family will die of cancer is immoral on many levels. The fact that it's being carried out with our money to maximise the profits of pharmaceutical firms really is beyond contempt.

Scotland for Animals will be there on the day to make sure the truth gets an airing amongst all the industry propaganda which will no doubt be flying around. We need real, modern research now if we're to cure and treat disease. If you would like to come along contact us at info@scotlandforanimals.org

Also please contact Glasgow Uni at dean@bio.gla.ac.uk  and appeal to them to start implementing non-animal research, keep all correspondence polite and informative.

Sample letter/ email:

Dear Sir/ Madam

I am concerned to note that Glasgow University is still relying on animal research. I am even more alarmed by the discovery that much of this is in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies for whom realistically the driving factor in any research is profit.

The fact that my money is being made available to you through Government funds to assist in these ventures i find morally wrong. I wholly support real research into disease and the discoveries that this can bring which alleviates human suffering however there is increasing disquiet amongst the scientific community as to the effectiveness of animal experimentation in achieving this.

I ask that you make an official and public commitment to a rapid phasing out of all procedures on animals by anyone connected to your University.

Yours Faithfully

(please provide name and full postal address including in emails)

The event will be on Tuesday 30 March 2010 at 5.45 PM, Kelvin Campus Conference Centre, West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow, G20 This is just off Maryhill Rd., North-West Glasgow. Contact us for directions.

Let them know their mantra of "it's either your dog or your child" isn't working any more.