I received an email asking me to consider sending a note (via the link below) to the EU Commissioner for Research, Janez Potocnik requesting that he stops blocking new legislation that will improve the lot of millions of animals in laboratories.

I have checked out the organisation that is pushing this - the Humane Society International - and although there are some criticisms these seem to come mostly from people who are pro hunting, pro owning exotic animals, etc.

As this is not a request for money, just a request for support, I think we should all consider supporting them - click on this link:

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/eu_lab_animals

Some of the things included in this new legislation is around training of staff looking after lab animals, excluding the great Apes from experiments, and two inspections a year (one without warning), for labs.

Personally, I think this legislation should go through.

I have checked commissioners personal blog and he says 'it is my objective to improve the situation for research and researchers in the EU' - this is fine, but all research needs to be done in an ethical manner (as a researcher myself I am fully aware of research ethics!) and he should not ignore this aspect because he wants to support researchers.

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Dr Stephanie Morgan
Crosslight Management
www.crosslight.co.uk

Very interesting Steph. Thanks for posting and giving us all a chance to learn a little more about the subject. This whole area of research obviously raises high emotion and strong opinion whether you are pro testing or against it.

I think that any organisation that attempts to find some sensible middle ground in the entire debate should be supported, not least because the requests have to be seen as at least realistic to both camps. I'm no expert on this area but I am truelly a great lover of wildlife and animals, having said this I have also seen heart breakingly painful suffering caused to loved ones through several currently incurable diseases, all of which are actively being researched using many different research techniques.

Its just not a black and white issue and a hard one for most of us to wrestle with and reach a conclusion on. In my opinion, anyone that see's it as black and white may not have opened themselves up to the harsh truths of both sides of the debate (deliberately or otherwise). Like most things in life, I guess real life personal experience helps to shape our views on the subject.

I hope the legislation goes through too.

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