An Investigative Report Based on the Most Current USDA Statistics
Conclusion
By Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director
S.A.E.N. - Stop Animal Exploitation Now!
World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week
http://www.all-creatures.org/wlalw/index.html
Due to increased government funding and other factors,
the use of animals in experimentation has increased dramatically from
2001 to 2002. The overall national total of 1,438,553 for 2002 is an
increase of 16.3% over 2001. This increase of 201,660 (16.3%) animals is
the fourth largest single year increase ever.
The use of both primates (96,061) and cats (77,091) has
reached the highest levels for these species since the beginning of the
statistical tracking of animal experimentation. All other areas of
animal use in experimentation (dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters,
etc.) have increased, save only the "other animals" and "other farm
animals" categories.
At a time when improvements in technology should be
allowing for non-invasive clinical studies using sophisticated imaging
techniques (fMRI, PET, etc.) and in vitro technology should be leading
to a dramatic decrease in animal use, the exact opposite appears to be
taking place.
Reports issued by Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! have
revealed that the number of animals used in experimentation appears to
be skyrocketing. Similarly, the level of funding assigned to animal
experimentation by government agencies such as the National Institutes
of Health has reached an amazing $10 billion annually.
This is no coincidence. University officials have seen
the opportunity to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars annually from
government agencies for the performance of research. They have
apparently decided to fill their collective pockets with taxpayers�
dollars, and they have done this at a time when our government is facing
huge deficits. Researchers grasp for six-figure salaries at our expense.
Caught in the middle we find millions of animals. With
the majority of animals still receiving no protection, due to the
exclusion of rats, mice, and other species from the Animal Welfare Act
by recent legislation, these creatures become little more than grist for
the money mill that runs through the campuses of our colleges and
universities.
We still do not have universal health care in the U.S.
Drug addiction is a major problem in our schools. The National
Institutes of Health has responded to these crises by spending $10
billion a year on scientifically questionable animals experiments,
including over $384 million spent to make drug addicts out of rats, mice
and primates.
Therefore, we are issuing twin calls to action today.
Every American taxpayer should be angered by the continual squandering
of billions on useless animal experiments. Each and every one of us
should be disgusted by the white-coated welfare program which is
currently being supported by the National Institutes of Health. We are
calling upon every taxpayer to contact his/her elected officials and
demand an accounting. We all have a right to know what has been gained
from the decades of multi-billion dollar expenditures, and the deaths of
tens of millions animals.
We are also calling upon every animal protection
organization to again make opposition to animal experimentation a major
focus of activity. Certainly, there are many worthwhile issues that
deserve our attention. However, if we do not soon begin to turn the tide
against animal experimentation, it may be too late.
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World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week is this week
that surrounds April 24th, every year. It's a national week of protests,
media events, etc. at laboratories to stop testing and research on
animals. For more information on what you can do, go to How You Can Help
World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week:
http://www.all-creatures.org/wlalw/help.html
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