Beagles Destined For The Lab Arrive In The UK As AstraZeneca Ignores Pleas To Save Them
11 years ago
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Posted
27th February, 2013 20h37
The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) has been informed by our colleagues at Djurrättsalliansen that two Aeronova and BinAir planes carrying beagles from AstraZeneca kennels in Sweden left Sturup airport last night bound for Manchester airport. The docile dogs will be sent to the company’s UK lab where they will be used for cruel and painful experiments.
The remaining beagles are currently housed at kennels earmarked for closure in Örkelljungain, Sweden. From the original figure of 400 dogs at the facility, the NAVS has been informed that – in addition to today’s shipments – eighty of the dogs have already been trucked out of the kennels and sent to labs in the UK and Sweden and, according to AstraZeneca, another eighty dogs have been rehomed by employees.
Despite physiological differences between dogs and people, the animals will be used, according to AstraZeneca’s online Q&A “Primarily, in research related to the cardiovascular area (e.g. atherosclerosis and diabetes), respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma and COPD), plus inflammatory diseases (e.g. rheumatism).”
Since news of the kennel’s closure was announced, animal advocates worldwide have been campaigning for the beagles release for rehoming. Earlier this month, a joint letter signed by 20 organisations and representing hundreds of thousands of supporters was sent to the senior management of AstraZeneca. The NAVS has yet to receive a response.
NAVS Chief Executive Jan Creamer: “The arrival of these beagles is a disturbing development and we can only imagine the life that awaits these gentle and loving animals in the lab. We implore AstraZeneca to do the right thing and give both the dogs that still remain in the kennels and those that have already been sent to the lab the freedom they deserve and that the public desires.”
“The use of these dogs is unjustified, as there are advanced methods available that are more relevant to people, and avoid the known differences between dogs and humans. This move by AstraZeneca goes against the main thrust of the new EU Directive, which is for replacement of animals with modern technology.”
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