Animal Aid calls for donation boycott of top medical charities 6

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 22 Jun 2011

An animal rights group has launched a campaign against four major medical research charities, calling for the public to withhold donations until the organisations pledge to cease testing on animals.

The British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Parkinson’s UK and the Alzheimer’s Society have all come under attack by the Animal Aid campaign, which kicked off its campaign with an in-depth report titled ‘Victims of Charity’ outlining the charities use of animals in their research.

The Animal Aid campaign will see national newspaper advertisements call on the public to stop making donations, leaving legacies and visiting the four charities’ shops until they agree to change their research methods. The organisation, which is not itself a charity, will also encourage its campaign supporters to send postcards outlining their feelings to the chief executives of the charities.

Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, said, “Our high-profile campaign will put the charities under a great deal of pressure to rethink their research strategy.”

The charities attacked have hit back, with statements on their websites outlining the importance of using animals in some medical experimentation. In an apparent response to the Animal Aid campaign, Cancer Research UK’s director of science funding Dr David Scott pointed out that it is a legal requirement in the UK that drugs are tested on animals before they are deemed fit for human trial.

Directory: Alzheimer's Society | British Heart Foundation | Cancer Research UK (CRUK)

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Cara
Trustee - Animal Rescue
27 Jun 2011

A review of experiments on animals is seriously required. You have my backing.

[Reply]

Christine
23 Jun 2011

I already boycott these charities when it comes to donations, purchase of christmas cards etc. for the very reason that I don't want to help fund vivisection.

[Reply]

Ed
24 Jun 2011
Response to [Christine]

I'd be against vivisection too if we could somehow transfer all fatal diseases and chronic painful conditions to people like you.

[Reply]

Christine
28 Jun 2011
Response to [Ed]

This is exactly the sort of silly and unenlightened attitude that prevents alternatives to animal testing being developed at a faster pace. It is a myth that animals are indispensable to medical research. History is full of examples of medical progress without animal research.

Furthermore, modern research techniques offer superior replacements to animal procedures. The major advantage is that, without the use of animals, there are no problems of species differences so the results can be directly applied to the human condition.

May I suggest that you take a look at some of the research funded by organisations such as the Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research.

[Reply]

Ed
6 Jul 2011
Response to [Christine]

Okay, I went to their website. I saw a number of projects, and "studies". Interesting there's no page listing "results".

[Reply]

Ted
22 Jun 2011

You have my Backing all the way, I am at risk of a hereditary degenerative fatal incurable disease! and You have My Backing!!!

[Reply]

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