Please take a minute to do something for me...
Open a new tab and load your preferred search engine.
Type in 'vivisection'.
Select 'images'.
Scroll down for a minute.
Take a deep breath.
Come back to this page.
Please read on:
Feels good, doesn’t it, to support a charitable organisation
or two, and special causes that are close to your heart?
Brits give an estimated £9.3bn pa (2011/12 stats)*. We are
one of the most generous nations in the world.
But what if your good intentions are inadvertently
contributing to animal and human
suffering?
What if your hard earned cash is actually funding ‘bad
science’ that could delay progress for the work of your chosen charity, perhaps
in curing a devastating disease?
It wouldn’t feel so good, would it?
So when I discovered (thanks to the latest Animal Aidcampaign literature) that some of my donations were funding vivisection (live animal experimentation), I was shocked. It wasn’t something
that I’d previously considered.
And many of us, myself included, are vegan, great animal advocates,
passionate about animal rights and against animal cruelty in all its forms.
As part of my journey into veganism my independent research
led me to several organisations that explain, very clearly, just why the scientific
practice of vivisection is now outdated and in fact produces misleading results
that may have hindered medical progress for decades.
And when you think about it – it’s obvious as to why. Whilst
most animals used are mammals – that’s where the similarity to humans ends.
Animals have different physiologies to us and different
responses to us. No species can be a biological marker for another. We are all
different – pure and simple. So different that even small genetic variations
can dramatically skew research results and lead to outcomes that are harmful to humans when products are
subsequently manufactured on the back of the ‘scientific animal-based
research’.
* * *It’s estimated that death from adverse effects of medical
treatments is the 4th highest
cause of death in industrialised countries. * * *
Not only this, but consider the fact that in persisting with
such unreliable research scientists are potentially bypassing the use of new and (better)
biotechnologies AND therefore potentially missing cures and solutions to some
of mankind’s’ most difficult challenges!
And the barbaric nature of vivisection is such that humans
cannot (should not), in all conscience, inflict this on other perceptive, feeling (sentient) beings. Because whilst we know
that other species are different to us, science has also proved (and continues
to acknowledge) that they all still suffer fear, pain and emotional turmoil, on
scales that are comparable to ours.
NO perceived ‘progress’ is worth this.
There’s no need for me to describe graphic details of what
might be happening in research labs, all around the world, every second of
every painful day here – you can easily search for yourself online (just as I've advised above). Do it, please. Wake yourself up.
And then, take these positive steps, immediately:
1. Identify where YOUR
chosen charities spend YOUR money.
If they’re more progressive and do not support vivisection
for their research – then please let them
know you appreciate this and will continue to support them because of it.
2. If, however, you’re inadvertently supporting something that
horrifies you as much as it does me, then let
your charities know what you think of their decisions.
You may wish to phone them, email them, write to them, tweet
them and FB them and you may wish to withdraw your support until such time as
they change.
Most importantly, you must tell them WHY you’re doing this, so that they can consider their future
actions. Whilst I’ve said how generous a nation we are, it’s a fact that
donations in total have decreased by
an estimated 20%, in real terms, since 2010 and competition for your money is
fierce. Further losses will help them to wake
up.
3. Please share this with everyone you know and come into
contact with.
You can easily do this in just 10 minutes and I’ve created a
little ‘tool kit’ below to help you further.
Please join me and my compassionate friends at All Animal Rights and Animal Aid in making this
important stand against unnecessary and vicious animal testing – the lives of billions of animals depend on you –
including humans (maybe even YOU one day) who rely on accurate scientific research.
Keep fighting for the voiceless. We’re all strong on our
own, but together we’re a real force to be reckoned with.
Much love
Chantal
Update:
Still waiting for official responses to communications /
emails. I’ll add them as and when they come in.
Your tool kit for action:
Get the latest on Animal Aid’s campaign here.
Check if the charities you support fund vivisection here.
Adapt and use the email/letter below if you wish to withdraw
your support from a charity.
Support Animal Aid in their campaign – you can get more
involved in spreading this vital info here.
Support organizations that fund and promote pioneering
medical research into human disease WITHOUT the use of animals or animal tissue
- such as The Humane Research Trust
and The Dr Hawden Trust.
Please share this with everyone you know.
Template letter:
Dear [insert name of
Chief Exec etc]
Subject: Why I can no longer support [charity name].
I’ve recently been very shocked, saddened and distressed to
find out that [organisation name]
funds research into [disease i.e. heart disease] using the outdated and
barbaric scientific practice of vivisection on sentient animals.
It’s widely recognised by eminent and leading scientists,
worldwide, that this method of research does not only yield inaccurate (and
therefore potentially dangerous) results but that it dramatically hinders
medical progress for the benefit of us all.
[insert any personal
relevance i.e. Given that my Father suffered with severe Alzheimers for many
years and that I’ve supported you with considerable time and monetary funds, I’m
devastated to know that my money has been spent in this way and possibly with
no positive outcome for the elimination and cure for this terrible disease.]
I have no option but to withdraw my support from your organisation
immediately and to tell everyone I know to do the same. I shall, instead, be
offering my support and funds to [insert other organization name if
appropriate] who are funding progressive research through modern biotechnology.
And I have joined the 1.26million people who have signed the latest ‘Stop
Vivisection’ EU petition.
It makes me very sad to have to do this. Please can I urge
you to reconsider your position on the research that you do.
Vivisection is a blatant act of turning a living, feeling,
sentient being into a commodity to experiment on. This simply cannot be
tolerated in a modern society. And to do it for results that are valueless,
possibly dangerous, makes it all the more disturbing.
Please let me know your current stance and future plans
regarding this. Should your work change then please also let me know and I
shall gladly reconsider offering my support.
But for now [add ways
in which you support i.e.: I have
cancelled my direct debit, will no longer donate goods to / buy goods from your shops, give money to
collectors, run the annual coffee morning, purchase from your website, promote
you to others etc.]
Sincerely
[your name]
Sadly its too late for these poor creatures - but for those of the future - it's in YOUR hands.
Thank you.
References:
*UK Giving 2012 report, compiled by the
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and the National Council for Voluntary
Organisations (NCVO).
Animal Aid ‘Victims of Charity’ Campaign
2013.
The ‘Stop Vivisection’ EU petition (1,126,005 signatures
02.11.13)
