Despite the increasing number of alternative methods to animal testing, the number of animals abused and killed in animal testing remains alarmingly high.
The demand for a reduction in animal testing and “experimental animals” and ultimately the exit from animal testing has been reflected for years in the guidelines and laws that regulate animal testing in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, this goal is clearly not being sufficiently pursued and implemented by the EU member states.
Dr. Vera Marashi, animal testing officer at VGT
Vienna (OTS) – April 24th is World Day for Laboratory Animals. On this day, worldwide attention is drawn to the suffering of animals that are abused and killed in experiments. The VGT took this day, which is also known as “Day for the Abolition of Animal Experiments”, as an opportunity to draw attention to the unnecessary suffering of “experimental animals” using informative banners, signs and flyers. One of the numerous actions took place in the heart of the city of Vienna, at Stephansplatz.
Animal rights activists from the ASSOCIATION AGAINST TIERFABRIKEN wear masks of animals that suffer and die in animal experiments. They hold up banners and signs that clearly state what animal testing is: Animal testing is cruel, in many cases animal testing does not produce the desired and announced results, and animal testing is responsible for the suffering and death of millions of animals worldwide responsible. The animal rights activists make clear demands: the abolition of animal testing and the promotion of alternative methods.
But how can it be that so many animal experiments still take place? We constantly hear about great advances in research in the media when it comes to “replacing” animal testing with alternative methods: alternative methods that are often even more reliable than animal testing. The sad reality is that despite modern alternative methods – e.g. B. in the form of research on 2D and 3D cell cultures (in vitro methods), on mini-organs (organoids) and via computer simulations (in silico methods) – more than 190 million animals are used in experiments and killed in experiments worldwide every year! In Austria alone, animal experiments have been carried out on hundreds of thousands of animals in recent years and the latest statistics also show shockingly high numbers: more than 210,000 animals were used and killed in animal experiments in Austria in 2022.
Miss Dr. Marashi, animal testing officer at the VGT, can understand that this situation raises questions among citizens and notes: “The demand for a reduction in animal testing and “experimental animals” and ultimately the exit from animal testing has been reflected for years in the guidelines and laws that regulate animal testing in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, this goal is clearly not being sufficiently pursued and implemented by the EU member states.
“
In its petition “Stop animal testing”, the VGT is therefore calling for clear measures to promote the gradual phase-out of animal testing and is already supported by almost 28,000 citizens.
Detailed information (including literature references) can be found on the VGT website.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPDG8ml8OpQ
Questions & Contact:
VGT – ASSOCIATION AGAINST ANIMAL FACTORIES
Dr. Vera Maraschi
Animal testing expert
01 929 14 98
media@vgt.at
https://vgt.at